Major Sergei Volina, commander of Ukraine’s 36th Separate Marine Brigade, spoke by telephone to CNN from the besieged city of Mariupol on Tuesday night and called for a third party to ensure the evacuation of soldiers and civilians detained at the Azovstal steel plant under heavy Russian bombing. .
“I have a statement to the world,” Volina said. “This may be my last statement, because we only have a few days or even hours left. We appeal to the world leaders to implement the procedure of extracting the military from the Mariupol garrison, the civilians who are with us here, at the factory. Please take us to a third country and provide us with security. “
Ukrainian forces in the besieged city have consolidated around the Azovstal massive steel plant.
Ukrainian authorities have said hundreds of civilians are taking refuge in the basements of the massive steel plant. A Mariupol police officer told CNN that food and water supplies were declining amid heavy bombings.
Asked how the evacuation could be facilitated, Volina said: “This should be at the level of agreements. If we talk about practical application, it could be a ship with helicopters, for example, that can take us. Or an international humanitarian mission that can come to us and ensure our security and accompany us on the road to a country that will make such commitments. “
Volina described the situation at the plant as “critical” with a large number of wounded soldiers and limited medical care.
“We are completely surrounded,” he said. “There are about 500 wounded soldiers, it is very difficult to provide them with medical care. They are literally rotting. There are civilians on the territory. They also suffer from explosions, explosions on them, next to them. They [the Russians] use heavy air bombs against us and strike with artillery. “
“This is happening all the time. The city is destroyed. Enemy groups outnumber us dozens of times, they have a complete advantage in the air, artillery, equipment, manpower. We fight to the last, but we have very little time left,” he continued.
The Ukrainian commander estimated that there were “hundreds of civilians” on the territory of the plant.
“We appeal to absolutely all world leaders: Who will be able to make such commitments, who will be able to agree on such a procedure in the short term,” he said. “We know that there are some developments and talks with the Turkish side, that it acts as a guarantor. Probably the United States, because we believe this is a very powerful country with a strong leader, [President Joe] Biden and that he can personally resolve this issue as soon as possible. Or this problem can be solved with his help in a short time. “
Volyna declined to comment on the number of servicemen detained in Azovstal.
“If the world hears us, if the world leaders hear us, we have high hopes and the extraction procedure will be carried out, then everyone will understand the quantitative composition of the people who were captured,” he said.
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