Zelenskyy: Medics and wounded to be evacuated from Azovstal
Denys Karlovskyi – Saturday, 7 May 2022, 22:29
The President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, said that the Ukrainian government is organising an evacuation of medics and wounded soldiers from the territory of the Azovstal steelworks in Mariupol with the help of international organisations.
Source: President Zelenskyy’s daily video address
Quote from Zelenskyy: "I am grateful to the teams from the International Committee of the Red Cross and the United Nations for helping us conduct the first phase of evacuation from Azovstal. We were able to evacuate over 300 people: women, children. We have basically got all the civilians out of Azovstal.
We are currently organising the second phase of evacuation for the wounded and medics. Of course, only if our agreements are observed. Of course, only if there is no deceit.
We are of course also working on evacuating our military personnel. All the heroes defending Mariupol. This is extremely difficult. But important.
I am certain that everyone understands why this is so difficult […]. But we won’t lose hope. We can’t stop here."
Details: Zelenskyy said that the diplomatic means of evacuating Ukrainian soldiers from the Azovstal bunkers besieged by Russian troops are currently being discussed.
President Zelenskyy reported that the Ukrainian government is hoping to open evacuation corridors from Mariupol and its neighbouring towns and villages on 7 May.
Background:
- Iryna Vereshchuk, Deputy Prime Minister of Ukraine, said that all the civilians who had remained in the Azovstal bunkers have been safely evacuated.
- Serhii Volyna, Commander of the 36th Separate Marine Brigade, said that he was disappointed in the world’s cynical response and indifference to the fate of Mariupol’s defenders, but still hoped that "higher powers" might rescue Mariupol’s defenders.
- WWII veterans from Kyiv appealed to President Vladimir Putin of Russia to allow Ukrainian soldiers and civilians who remain at Azovstal in Mariupol to leave the encircled plant.
- President Volodymyr Zelenskyy warned that if Russia kills any of the people at Azovstal, civilian or military, negotiations between the two countries might end.
On 6 May, Russian troops killed 3 Ukrainian soldiers and wounded 6 more during the evacuation of civilians from Azovstal; they shelled a vehicle which was taking civilians to an agreed checkpoint. Russian occupiers also shared fake information regarding the alleged capitulation of Ukrainian troops who "came bearing white flags," even though white flags have been used numerous times to mark the evacuation of civilians.
