A car near the destroyed bridge between the villages of Sartana and Kalinovka in the suburbs of Mariupol. Archival photoLUHANSK, Mar 18 Nationalists from the Azov Regiment (a criminal case has been initiated against its fighters in Russia) and other radical Ukrainian formations expect to hold out in Mariupol until the end of negotiations between Russia and Ukraine and the conclusion of peace, Vasily Prozorov, ex-lieutenant colonel of the security service of Ukraine, said in an interview with RIA Novosti.
"I still have sources in Mariupol — from the time when I worked in the SBU. They say that it is at the enterprises & # 34; Azovstal & # 34;, the Plant named after Ilyich that fortified areas are equipped right among the shops. Dots, concrete blocks. At the same time, workers are not allowed to interrupt the production cycle", Prozorov said.
According to him, the nationalists thus «hope to hide behind a human shield and sit there for a long time — until some kind of political decision.» under pressure from the West, Russia will make concessions. And they will buy themselves time and thereby save themselves,” Prozorov believes. On February 24, Russia launched a special military operation to demilitarize and denazify Ukraine. President Vladimir Putin called its goal «the protection of people who have been subjected to bullying and genocide by the Kiev regime for eight years.» The Ministry of Defense stated that the armed forces only strike at military infrastructure and Ukrainian troops. With the support of the Russian army, units of the DPR and LPR are developing the offensive. «The Azov people were just hiding behind us.» Refugees leave Mariupol
After long days, when the Ukrainian authorities did not want to cooperate with the Russian side in the evacuation of people, 33,000 people were evacuated from Mariupol. >1 out of 12
After long days, when the Ukrainian authorities did not want to cooperate with the Russian side in the evacuation of people, 33,000 people were evacuated from Mariupol.
Residents of the city tell how they hid in basements and couldn't come out "so they wouldn't shoot us", as the Ukrainian military put tanks in residential areas.
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City residents tell how they hid in basements and couldn't get out "so they wouldn't shoot us", as the Ukrainian military put tanks in residential quarters.
The Russian Ministry of Defense sent columns of buses to the city to evacuate Mariupol residents.
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The Russian Defense Ministry sent columns of buses to the city to evacuate Mariupol residents.
"There are no houses on the way, nothing, everything was on fire, corpses of people, military men are lying around, children are yelling, crying. We walked under bullets, barely made it to the buses. On the way, your military, Russian, it turns out, the children were given sweets and food … And all this time the Azov people were just hiding behind us, we were a living wall for them, and that’s all, ”said one of the eyewitnesses.
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"There are no houses on the way, nothing, everything was on fire, corpses are lying around people, soldiers, children yelling, crying. We walked under bullets, barely made it to the buses. On the way, your military, Russian, it turns out, the children were given sweets and food … And all this time, the Azov people were just hiding behind us, we were a living wall for them, and that’s all, ”said one of the eyewitnesses.
At the exit from Mariupol along the humanitarian corridors along which civilians are evacuated, DPR units check men: for traces of weapons and long-term wearing of ammunition, tattoos that identify belonging to the Armed Forces of Ukraine or nationalist battalions.
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At the exit from Mariupol along the humanitarian corridors along which civilians are being evacuated, DPR units check men: for traces of weapons and long-term wearing of ammunition, tattoos that identify belonging to the Armed Forces of Ukraine or nationalist battalions.
A refugee from Mariupol, who survived with her disabled husband under shelling without gas, light and water, said that the Russian military helped to evacuate: "They helped me get my husband out. I grabbed whatever came to hand, and I had to run for three kilometers. On foot, firing all around, and we are running".
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A refugee from Mariupol, who survived with her disabled husband under shelling without gas, light and water, said that the Russian military helped to evacuate: "They helped me get my husband out. I grabbed whatever came to hand, and I had to run for three kilometers. On foot, shelling all around, and we are running".
DNR forces occupy the streets and quarters of Mariupol. The liberation of Avdiivka and Marinka continues.
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DPR forces occupy the streets and quarters of Mariupol. The liberation of Avdiivka and Maryinka continues.
Servicemen of the People's Militia of the DPR check cars at the exit of the city.
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Servicemen of the People's Militia of the DPR check cars for leaving the city.
Rescued residents of Mariupol talk about the crimes of the nationalists. Among other Ukrainian units, the nationalist regiment "Azov" was located in the city, against whose fighters a criminal case is being investigated in Russia.
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Rescue residents of Mariupol talk about the crimes of nationalists. Among other Ukrainian units, the nationalist regiment "Azov" was located in the city, against whose fighters a criminal case is being investigated in Russia.
The refugees who got out of Mariupol say that the Azov people kept civilians as hostages in the building of the Drama Theatre.
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Refugees who got out of Mariupol say that the Azov people held civilians as hostages in the drama theater building.
"The military helped us, of course, they put us on the car with the children. Russia helped us to leave. Ukraine — everyone hid themselves, and you do whatever you want", the refugees say.
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"The military helped us, of course, they put us on the car with the children. Russia helped us to leave. Ukraine — everyone hid themselves, and you do whatever you want", the refugees say.
One of the refugees named Christina told how Ukrainian snipers fired at her family: " churches for us when we returned home with my husband and child. They opened fire on us. There were snipers, grenade throwers". Kristina with her husband, 11-year-old daughter and a dog named Black were evacuated from the village of Lyapino (near Mariupol) to Taganrog.
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One of the refugees named Christina told how Ukrainian snipers fired at her family: " churches for us when we returned home with my husband and child. They opened fire on us. There were snipers, grenade throwers". Kristina with her husband, 11-year-old daughter and a dog named Black were evacuated from the village of Lyapino (near Mariupol) to Taganrog.
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After long days, when the Ukrainian authorities did not want to cooperate with the Russian side in evacuating people, 33 thousand people were evacuated from Mariupol.
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City residents tell how they hid in basements and could not get out , "so that they don't shoot us", as the Ukrainian military put tanks in residential areas.
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The Russian Ministry of Defense sent columns of buses to the city to evacuate Mariupol residents.
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"There are no houses on the way, nothing, everything was on fire, the corpses of people, military men are lying around, children are yelling, crying. We walked under bullets, barely made it to the buses. On the way, your military, Russian, it turns out, the children were given sweets and food … And all this time, the Azov people were just hiding behind us, we were a living wall for them, and that’s all, ”said one of the eyewitnesses.
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At the exit from Mariupol along the humanitarian corridors along which civilians are evacuated, DPR units check men: for traces of weapons and long-term wearing of ammunition, tattoos that identify belonging to the Armed Forces of Ukraine or nationalist battalions.
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A refugee from Mariupol, who survived with her disabled husband under shelling without gas, light and water, said that the Russian military helped to evacuate: "They helped me get my husband out. I grabbed whatever came to hand, and I had to run for three kilometers. On foot, shelling all around, and we are running".
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DPR forces occupy the streets and quarters of Mariupol. The liberation of Avdiivka and Maryinka continues.
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Servicemen of the People's Militia of the DPR check cars at the exit of the city.
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Rescued residents of Mariupol talk about the crimes of nationalists. Among other Ukrainian units, the nationalist regiment "Azov" was located in the city, against whose fighters a criminal case is being investigated in Russia.
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Refugees who got out of Mariupol say that Azov soldiers were holding civilians residents as hostages in the building of the drama theater.
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"The military helped us, of course, they put us with the children in a car. Russia helped us to leave. Ukraine — everyone hid themselves, and you do whatever you want", the refugees say.
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One of the refugees named Christina told how Ukrainian snipers fired at her family: " The Ukrainians fired at us from the church when we returned home with my husband and child. They opened fire on us. There were snipers, grenade throwers". Kristina with her husband, 11-year-old daughter and a dog named Black were evacuated from the village of Lyapino (near Mariupol) to Taganrog.