This is the moment 265 Ukrainian fighters of the Azov Battalion allegedly surrender at the besieged Azovstal plant as over 50 were in need of urgent medical attention.
The footage was filmed at the Azovstal iron and steel plant in the under-siege Ukrainian city of Mariupol.
Fighters of the Azov Battalion, a unit of the National Guard of Ukraine, have been holed up in the battered Mariupol plant.
In a statement obtained by Zenger News, the Russian Ministry of Defense (MoD) said on May 17: “The surrender of militants of the nationalist ‘Azov’ unit began yesterday at the ‘Azovstal’ plant in Mariupol.
“Over the past day, 265 militants laid down their arms and surrendered, including 51 seriously wounded. All those in need of medical care were sent for treatment to a hospital in the city of Novoazovsk, Donetsk People’s Republic.”
The MoD said: “High-precision long-range sea-based ‘Kalibr’ missiles in the area of Starichi railway station in Lviv region destroyed the personnel of Ukrainian reserve formations, as well as foreign weapons and military equipment from the United States and European countries, prepared for shipment to Donbass.
“In addition, high-precision long-range air and ground-based missiles destroyed enemy reserves that were completing combat training at centers in the areas of Akhtyrka, Sumy region, and Desna, Chernihiv region.”
The Russian MoD claimed: “High-precision air-based missiles of the Russian Aerospace Forces hit two command posts and a communications center, including the 30th Mechanized Brigade in the Bakhmut area, 28 areas of concentrated manpower and military equipment of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, two depots of rockets, artillery weapons, and ammunition in the areas of the settlements of Ugledar and Konstantinovka of the Donetsk People’s Republic.
“As a result of the strikes, over 470 nationalists were killed and 68 units of military equipment were disabled. In addition, a traction power substation was destroyed near the Merefa railway station in Kharkiv region, which ensured the delivery of weapons and military equipment from the United States and Western countries to the Donbass.
“Operational-tactical and army aviation hit nine command posts, 93 areas of concentrated manpower and military equipment of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, as well as three ammunition depots in the Luparevo and Shevchenkovo districts of the Mykolaiv region.
“Rocket troops and artillery hit six command posts, 224 areas of concentrated manpower and military equipment of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, 12 artillery and mortar batteries in firing positions, four batteries of BM-21 Grad MLRS and two radar stations for detecting air targets.
“Russian air defense systems destroyed 23 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles over the settlements of Pitomnik, Izium, Snezhkovka, Olkhovatka, Dementievka, Ruska Lozovaya, Bolshiye Prokhody and Petrivske in the Kharkiv region, Staromikhaylovka, Novotamarovka, Novotroitskoye, Nevelskoye, Sverdlovo, Avdeevka and Vladimirovka in the Donetsk People’s Republic. Also, eight Smerch MLRS rockets were intercepted in the Chernobaevka area of Kherson region.
“Yesterday, from 10.00 to 11.00, Ukrainian nationalists with multiple ‘Smerch’ launch rocket systems attacked residential areas in the city of Kherson. Russian air defense systems intercepted all 10 Ukrainian rockets.
“We want to emphasize that there are no units of Russian troops in the city of Kherson. The Kyiv regime is well aware of this. The blow was deliberately inflicted on the civilian population of Kherson in retaliation for supporting the Russian Federation.”
The Russian MoD added: “In total, since the beginning of the special military operation, [Russian forces have destroyed]168 aircraft, 125 helicopters, 912 unmanned aerial vehicles, 309 anti-aircraft missile systems, 3,134 tanks and other armored combat vehicles, 385 multiple rocket launchers, 1,542 field artillery and mortar guns, as well as 2,983 units of special military vehicles.”
