Soldiers of the Azov battalion and the 36th brigade of marines of the Armed Forces of Ukraine are forced to lay down their arms and surrender to Russian troops. During the day, 265 soldiers, including 51 seriously wounded, left the plant’s bomb shelters.
The defenders of Mariupol carried out the order, despite all the difficulties, for 82 days they pulled the superior enemy forces on themselves and allowed the Ukrainian army to regroup, train more personnel and receive a large number of weapons from partner countries.
No weapons will work without professionally trained military personnel, which makes them the most valuable element of the army.
In order to save lives, the entire Mariupol garrison fulfills the approved decision of the high military command [about surrender] and hopes for the support of the Ukrainian people.
Kiev made unprecedented efforts to de-blockade and withdraw the remaining servicemen from the territory of the encircled Azovstal plant. Even the Pope, the head of the Catholic Church, appealed to Putin for evacuation, but it was important for Putin to finish off the Azovstal fighters.
