Mariupol: The background of the surrender of Azovstal fighters – More than 1,700 Ukrainians surrender their weapons

Its siege Mariupol ended with the surrender of all Ukrainian fighters hiding in the Azovstal factory, but the Negotiations for their future are ongoingas voices erupt in Moscow, calling for the death penalty to be carried out.

According to the agency Reutersthe Kremlin says they have surrendered 1,730 Ukrainians fighters within three daysincluding 771 in the last 24 hours. Nevertheless, the Ukrainewhich states that its purpose is to secure an exchange of prisoners, refuses to say how many were inside the factory or to comment on what the others will become after he confirmed that a few over 250 surrendered in the first hours after ordering them to lay down their arms.

Features, the leader of the pro-Russian separatists who control the area said almost half of the fighters remained inside the steel industry, where their underground shelters and galleries protected them from weeks of Russian bombing.

«More than half have already left“More than half have surrendered their weapons,” he said Dennis Pusilin on the online TV channel Solovyov Live. «Let them surrender, let them live“Let them honestly face the burden of all their crimes,” he added.

“Wireless silence” from Ukraine

Ukrainian officials say that they can not speak in public about what happened to the fighters, as negotiations are underway behind the scenes for their rescue.

“The state is making every effort to rescue our armed forces personnel,” the army spokesman said. Oleksandr Motuzyanik at a press conference. “Any information to the public would jeopardize this process.”

Initially, the news of the surrender of the Ukrainian fighters had been made known by the Russian Ministry of Defensebut the Ukrainian side had stated that this was “propaganda”. A few hours later, however, the Azov Battalion – whose fighters were in Mariupol – announced that it had received an order from Kyiv to stop fighting at Azovstal.

Then videos were posted on social media show the withdrawal of Ukrainian fighterswhile in Russia an intense debate has begun about their future.

In particular, it has been formally filed ready to recognize the Azov Order as a terrorist organization and to punish for example the fighters who surrendered their weapons, while others argue that negotiations with Ukraine should continue in order to exchange prisoners.