At Mariupol, a strategic point in eastern Ukraine, Ukrainian troops have announced that they have completed their combat missions at a steel mill that was besieged by Russian troops and urged the Ukrainian side to surrender.
Mariupol's offensive and defensive battle has reached a major milestone as many soldiers have been transferred to towns controlled by pro-Russian factions.
In Ukraine, fierce offenses and defenses continued in the eastern part, where Russian troops were trying to seize control, and at the key point of Mariupol's Azovstal Iron and Steel, Russian troops were besieged and repeatedly forced to surrender, while Ukrainian troops continued to resist.
Under these circumstances, the General Staff of the Ukrainian Army announced on the morning of the 17th of Japan time that the combat mission of the troops remaining at the steelworks had ended.
Ukrainian President Zelensky released a new video on the 16th, revealing that "the operation to save Mariupol's soldiers has begun" about the steelworks.
"Some of the soldiers are seriously injured. I want to emphasize that the heroes need to live above all else," he said, urgently evacuating the soldiers.
In addition, Ukraine's Under Secretary of Defense Mariar said on the 16th, "53 seriously injured people were transferred from the Azovstal iron and mill to a medical facility, and 211 people were transferred through evacuation routes," the Ukrainian army detained in the transfer of soldiers. It also suggested that there could be an exchange with the Russian prisoners of war.
According to Under Secretary of Defense Mallar, the seriously injured soldiers were transported to a medical facility on the side of pro-Russian militants in eastern Donetsk Oblast.
Reuters broadcasts footage of ironworks soldiers evacuating by bus and arriving in Donetsk Oblast, with the letter "Z" in the footage, a symbol of support for Russia's military invasion. You can see the injured soldiers being carried by the bus.
Meanwhile, Mayor Boychenko of Mariupol said in an online interview with NHK on the 16th, "About 90% of Mariupol's is occupied by Russian troops, and more than 100,000 citizens are still left behind. The Russian army is trying to bring back to the city by offering housing to those who have evacuated to the suburbs of the city. " ..
He then said, "We need to set up an evacuation route to free Mariupol's citizens from this hell and save their lives." I asked for.
The offensive and defensive battle over Mariupol has reached a major milestone as the Ukrainian side announced the end of the battle at the steelworks where the Russian army was intensifying its offensive aiming for seizure.