2022-05-17T00:53:00+03:00 Politics 2024-05-15T05:55:35+03:00

Ukrainian news

Ukrainian news

Fighters From Azovstal Were Evacuated To Novoazovsk And Olenivka. Prisoner Exchange Preparation Underway

Fighters From Azovstal Were Evacuated To Novoazovsk And Olenivka. Prisoner Exchange Preparation Underway

53 seriously wounded fighters from Azovstal were evacuated to the hospital of occupied Novoazvosk, and another 211 were taken through the humanitarian corridor to occupied Olenivka. They are planned to be exchanged for the Russian military and returned to the territory controlled by Ukraine.

This was stated by Deputy Defense Minister Hanna Maliar.

"Thanks to the defenders of Mariupol, we got critical time to form reserves, regroup forces and receive help from partners. The defenders of Mariupol completed all the tasks set by the command in full. Unfortunately, we do not have the opportunity to release Azovstal by military means. The most important common task of all Ukraine and the whole world is to preserve the life of the defenders of Mariupol," Maliar said.

According to her, together with the Defense Intelligence of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the National Guard, the Border Guard Service began an operation to rescue the defenders of Mariupol blocked on the territory of the Azovstal plant.

"Measures are ongoing to save the rest of the fighters from Azovstal. Unfortunately, it is impossible to release Mariupol by military means. Now the most important thing is to save the lives of our military," she stressed.

As Ukrainian News Agency earlier reported, the commander of the Azov Regiment, Denys Prokopenko, said that they had completed the task, and that it was important to save the lives of the military.

After that, Reuters journalists reported on buses that left the Azovstal plant.

On May 12, the Russian side rejected Turkey's proposals to evacuate the defenders of Mariupol, Donetsk region, who were located at the Azovstal plant.

On May 12, the Azov Regiment published a video of the assault on Russian positions by the defenders of Mariupol.

Also on May 12, it became known that Ukraine was ready to transfer to Russia all captured Russian military in return for seriously wounded servicemen of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, who were holding the defense on the territory of the Azovstal metallurgical plant in Mariupol.

On May 10, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy noted that Russia was blocking all proposed options for the evacuation of the Ukrainian military from Azovstal.