Ukrainian presidential adviser Oleksiy Arestovych said after a “risky maneuver” the last remaining defenders of the besieged port city of Mariupol were able to join forces.
Arestovych said Wednesday that “at Mariupol, as a result of a risky maneuver, units of the 36th Independent Marine Brigade broke through to [join] Azov regiment. “
Both units engaged in a last-ditch effort to fend off the Russian assault on the city that lasted more than a month.
“This is what happens when officers don’t lose their heads, but still maintain command and control of the army,” Arestovych said.
CNN was unable to independently confirm the details of the operation. Members of the Marine Corps unit posted a video statement on Tuesday saying they would hold out “to the end,” despite being surrounded by Russian forces and running low on supplies.
On his Facebook account, Arestovych said that the Azov regiment had “received substantial reinforcements … the 36th brigade avoided defeat and received a serious additional chance, in fact, to have gained a chance.” second guild.”
Arestovych stated that “the defenders of the city, now together, seriously fortify their defensive area.”
The defenders of the city, where some 100,000 civilians are still trapped amid widespread devastation, fought to hold parts of the port and Azovstal, a massive steel mill located on the eastern outskirts of Mariupol.
The Russian military announced in a statement Wednesday that 1,026 Ukrainian marines – including 162 officers and 47 servicewomen – have surrendered in the vicinity of the Ilyich Iron and Steel Works in Mariupol, a statement said. cannot be verified.
Russia has focused an intense propaganda effort around the battle of Mariupol, claiming to have taken key positions in the city, even as Ukrainian forces continued to hold out.
Some basic information: An independent analysis of the situation in Mariupol on Sunday published by the Institute for the Study of War assessed that the defense of Mariupol had reached a critical stage.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said “tens of thousands” died in Mariupola number that cannot be independently verified.
