After weeks of holding out in the besieged Azovstal steelworks in Mariupol, 264 soldiers have been evacuated, according to Ukrainian sources. Five buses with soldiers from Azovstal arrived in Novoazovsk late Monday, eyewitnesses said. Efforts to rescue the troops still inside the steelworks are underway, the Ukrainian General Staff said. The number of remaining soldiers was not mentioned. These would have successfully completed their combat mission and now received the order to save lives. “We hope that we can save the lives of our people,” said Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in a speech late Monday evening. “Some of them are seriously injured. They are being cared for. Ukraine needs Ukrainian heroes alive.” 53 wounded soldiers were taken to a hospital in the Russian-controlled city of Novoazovsk, about 32 kilometers to the east, Deputy Defense Minister Anna Maljar said in a video published on the Internet on Monday. Another 211 people were taken to the town of Olenivka, in the Russian separatist-controlled Donetsk region. A possible exchange of prisoners with Russia is planned for all evacuees. The government in Moscow had refused to evacuate soldiers for weeks because Ukraine had insisted on transferring the injured to Ukrainian territory or a third country. The Ukrainian troops in Azovstal said they were injured in bunkers and tunnels for 82 days and endured the most adverse conditions to give the rest of the country time to fight Russian forces.
Source: Stern
David William is a talented author who has made a name for himself in the world of writing. He is a professional author who writes on a wide range of topics, from general interest to opinion news. David is currently working as a writer at 24 hours worlds where he brings his unique perspective and in-depth research to his articles, making them both informative and engaging.
