The United Nations reports that a number of civilians have been brought out from the Azovstal plant in Mariupol, reportedly women and children. This would be consistent with the Ukrainian position that all male Ukrainians have a duty to serve in the military, and with the “human shield” policy of the Azov Battalion (or Regiment), male civilians are also prevented from leaving. The Azov troops in Mariupol have also been denied the ability to surrender in their impossible situation, threatened with the death penalty if they make the attempt.
The Commander of the Azov Brigade and the Ukrainian 36th Marine Brigade forces within Azovstal, Serhiy Volna, gave a video interview to CNN on April 29, in which he pleaded with the government to let them leave rather than be killed. Rather than presenting the image of the brave Ukrainian fighters fighting to the death against the evil Russian invaders, Volna was pleading for the Kyiv government to save them. In paraphrase, he said the following:
This is beyond a humanitarian catastrophe. We were told there would be an attempt to evacuate us today. There are hundreds of civilians here, including about 60 children. There is little food or water. Yesterday there was a direct hit on the field hospital within the compound. We have 500 wounded, almost no medications, and we cannot treat them. President Zelenskyy briefs us on the situation, the many movements, and keeps our spirits high. I can’t say how long we can hold out. We hope we’ll be evacuated. We urge the world’s political and religious leaders to give us a humanitarian corridor to get out.
