Deputy commander of Azov Corps reveals new details of battle for Mariupol

Sviatoslav Palamar, alias Kalyna ("Guelder Rose"), Deputy Commander of the 1st Azov Corps of the National Guard of Ukraine, spoke in an interview with Ukrainska Pravda about how the battle for the Azovstal steel plant and the city of Mariupol unfolded in 2022.

Source: Palamar in an interview with Ukrainska Pravda

Details: Palamar said that the events at Azovstal are a symbol of the heroism of Ukrainian troops. The defence of Mariupol was a crucial part of Ukraine’s overall defence in 2022. By holding the city, Ukrainian forces halted the Russian advance on other fronts.

"Perhaps if the enemy had managed to capture Mariupol faster, all those forces would have moved on to Zaporizhzhia, and the situation there would have been much worse than it is now."

Palamar said the hardest part of the battle for Mariupol was losing comrades.

"There were many extraordinary things I would never have thought possible. Everything you had gained in life faded into the background. You simply didn’t care. The money you had in your pocket was useless."

Kalyna recalled how, without the internet in Mariupol, Azovstal defenders made information leaflets on A4 sheets to report on the situation in "Greater Ukraine". They described what was happening on the fronts, including in Mariupol.

"And those leaflets spread quickly. When you gave them to the guys at the positions – it was so important… [he paused, searching for the right words]. It lifted morale. It mattered because, for example, some had families in Zaporizhzhia, others worried about Kyiv or other cities. I could never have imagined that information printed on a simple sheet of paper would be so valuable in the 21st century."

The deputy commander also spoke about helicopter missions of Defence Intelligence of Ukraine, which delivered ammunition, food, medicine and reinforcements to Azovstal, and evacuated the wounded on their way back.

"Those missions should go into military history textbooks. Credit must be given to Air Forces, Defence Intelligence and other units involved. 

What is important to note? The delivery of NLAW weapons – our guys connected to the internet and learned online how to operate them. Until 2022 we had not received Western equipment. Everyone learned on the go and quite effectively destroyed enemy equipment and manpower."

He stressed that medical supplies "saved hundreds of lives", and evacuation of the wounded was critical.

Helicopters also brought in reinforcements, airlifting soldiers to the Azovstal plant.

"If flying into Mariupol was dangerous, flying back out was even more dangerous. The guys who decided to fly are true heroes."

On the day before leaving the plant’s tunnels, the soldiers got rid of everything that could be used by the Russians, Palamar said.

"It was the destruction of everything. Phones, other means of communication, all weapons, I destroyed all of my things. And everyone else was doing the same. We were doing our best to leave nothing for the enemy. Flash drives, information, print-outs – all were destroyed. We were going into captivity. And there was nothing we could hide there."

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