First published at 23:55 UTC on May 16th, 2022.
... but he doesn't call it a surrender.
Machine translation: "The operation to rescue the defenders of Mariupol was launched by our military scouts to bring the guys home - the work continues and this work requires delicacy in time. We keep…
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... but he doesn't call it a surrender.
Machine translation: "The operation to rescue the defenders of Mariupol was launched by our military scouts to bring the guys home - the work continues and this work requires delicacy in time. We keep as much diplomatic activity as possible in other directions in the interests of Ukraine," the President said.
Mariupol" garrison has completed the mission, an order was given to save lives - General Staff statement
Measures to save the remaining defenders on the territory of "Azovstal" continue.
Defenders of Mariupol - heroes of our time. They are forever in history. These are the Azov separate special forces detachment, the 12th Brigade of the National Guard of Ukraine, the 36th separate brigade of marines, border guards, policemen, volunteers, the Mariupol tero-defense force.
By holding their positions at Azovstal, they prevented the enemy from transferring a group of up to 17 BTGs (~20,000 personnel) to other directions.
Thus, they prevented the implementation of the plan to quickly seize Zaporizhzhya, to reach the admina border of Donetsk and Zaporizhzhya Regions, and to create conditions for the encirclement of the OOS grouping.
The containment of the main enemy forces around Mariupol allowed us to prepare and create defensive lines, where our troops remain today and provide a decent response to the aggressor.
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