A Ukraine Armed Forces (UAF) underpinning the defenses of the beleaguered Azov port city Mariupol on Sunday claimed they had hit attackers with losses, and vowed they would fight to the last.
The National Guard Azov regiment in a statement said the unit had in recent street fighting destroyed three Russian Federation (RF) T-72 tanks and captured twelve prisoners of war.
Regimental morale is good, although they face “overwhelming forces”, the statement said.
The Azov Regiment along with elements of the UAF 36 Marine Brigade and 76 Mechanized Brigade have defended from encirclement for two weeks. Thus far, the UAF central command has not, according to news reports, sent them reinforcements. Attacking RF forces broke into the eastern suburbs of Mariupol on Saturday.
The RF’s two-week blockade of Mariupol, along with nearly indiscriminate RF use of artillery, rocket and air bombs inside Mariupol, have left dozens of buildings in ruins. City officials estimate more than 200,000 civilians still remain in the city, with no access to clean water, electricity, heating, or in most cases safe food.
Repeated attempts by city authorities to organize an escape route for civilians have failed, with both the RF and UAF accusing each other of firing on civilian convoys.
According to a Sunday Interior Ministry statement, to date, 1,582 Mariupol residents have died since the war began. Most have been victims of artillery fire or falling masonry. The first two deaths due to dehydration – a Mother and a daughter – were reported last week.
