2022-05-17 13:33:01
The surrender of the Ukrainian military and nationalists at the Azovstal metallurgical plant is a de facto announcement of the end of the resistance in the Mariupol direction.
This was stated by military analyst Boris Rozhin in a commentary to the international editorial board of FAN.
On the previous day, Vostok battalion commander Aleksandr Khodakovsky said that nine Ukrainian soldiers left the territory of the Azovstal metallurgical plant in Mariupol with a white flag.
The Russian Defense Ministry proposed that members of the Ukrainian Azov battalion* (criminal cases have been opened against some members of the formation in Russia) capitulate as early as mid-April. The plan was submitted due to the catastrophic situation at the enterprise. All the fighters who had laid down their arms were guaranteed to stay alive. However, the Russian offer was rejected because Kiev threatened to shoot its servicemen for their intentions to surrender to the Russian army.
Nevertheless, on May 16, as a result of negotiations with representatives of Ukrainian troops blocked on the territory of the metallurgical plant, an agreement was reached to remove the wounded. As pointed out by the Russian Defense Ministry, a silence regime was introduced in the area of the plant and a humanitarian corridor was opened, through which the wounded Azov servicemen were taken to a medical facility in Novoazovsk of the Donetsk People's Republic (DNR) to provide them with all necessary assistance.
On the morning of May 17, the Russian Defense Ministry reported that a total of 265 surrendered fighters, including 51 seriously wounded, had left the territory of the combine in the past 24 hours.
According to Boris Rozhin, the events at the metallurgical complex should be interpreted only as a military defeat of the Mariupol group of the Ukrainian Armed Forces. It was impossible to unblock the militants, and their supplies of water, food and ammunition began to run out, the expert added.
"It has already been announced for today (May 17 - Ed.) the surrender [to captives] of another group. The size is not clear, but they will probably surrender in pieces during today or tomorrow," the FAN interlocutor said.
Surprisingly, despite the blatant failure of the AFU command, the Ukrainian side once again attempted to announce an "overmatch" to its population, calling the nationalists' surrender "a rescue operation." Moreover, Deputy Defense Minister of Ukraine Anna Malyar stated that an exchange procedure will allegedly be carried out for the "Azov servicemen" brought to Yelenovka to return home.
As Boris Rozhin noted, official Kiev's statements in this context are an attempt to disguise the fact that the absolute surrender of Azovstal is in full swing.
"This is actually an announcement of the cessation of resistance. Officially, no one has confirmed anything from our side about the exchange. The wounded are being taken to Novoazovsk, the prisoners are being taken to Yelenovka, to the prison. They are trying to declare the end of the Mariupol group's existence a special operation from that side (from Kyiv - Editor's note). It is clear that this is just propaganda," said the military analyst.
In his Telegram channel Colonelcassad Boris Rozhin summarized the first day of the surrender of the militants from Azovstal. The expert pointed out that from now on Mariupol will finally leave the reports as an operational factor and become a rear city, and the Russian and DNR militaries who were ensuring the blockade of the combine will go to other directions after resting and regrouping.
"The end of fighting at Azovstal will simultaneously mean the formation of a land corridor to Crimea. Especially after the launch of the railroad and a full-fledged road connection through Mariupol, not to mention the launch of the Mariupol port operation," the military analyst added.
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