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The last stronghold of the Ukrainian resistance in the city of Mariupol is the Azovstal plant. On April 19, the official representative of the DPR confirmed that the DPR and Russian Special Forces launched an assault on the Azovstal plant in Mariupol.
On April 18, the Russian Ministry of Defence gave Ukrainian nationalists the last chance to surrender. It was claimed that the last humanitarian corridor for evacuation from the Azovstal plant was secured. However, Azov fighters did not leave the facilities and the Russian offensive resumed.
Later on the same day, as soon as assault groups entered the Azovstal and took control over several facilities, Azov fighters declared that “thousands of civilians took shelter in the plant”. The claims were supported by a video allegedly showing children and women in a basement. However, the footage rose suspicions. The video was made in advance and probably not in the Azovstal plant.
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Civilians looked calm, not like people who could not leave the basement for almost two months. They said no actual dates during the interviews, so it is not clear when exactly the video was made. They also did not mention the Azovstal or Azov militants in their claims. Thus, the video shared by Ukrainian nationalists is not a clear evidence that “thousands of civilians are taking shelter in the facility”.
Even if civilians are in the basements of the plant, why didn’t the Azov fighters let them go before Azovstal turned into a trap. Humanitarian corridors have been provided by Russian forces for civilians as well as for Ukrainian militants on a regular basis.
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What the Kiev regime and Azov nationalists claim to be the protection of civilians in the Azovstal is the official confirmation of their inhumane tactics of using children, women and elderly people as a human shield. This was a case of the whole city of Mariupol, where Azov militants prevented civilians to escape from hostilities through humanitarian corridors. This risk to be a case of the Azovstal plant, where civilians may suffer during the assault.
There are still no credible confirmation that civilians remain in the Azovstal plant, but there is till the risk that there are hostages.
In turn, on April 19, the official representative of the DPR claimed that the information that there are civilians on the territory of the plant is just another creation of Ukrainian propaganda aimed at blaming Russian forces for civilian deaths.
The Russian Ministry of Defense also claimed that “the official representatives of Kiev say about the allegedly large number of civilians on “Azovstal”, what is another information stuffing invented to save the nationalists.”
At the same time, it was added that if someone from the civilian population is on “Azovstal”, the Russian Ministry of Defence demanded to take measures for their release and exit through humanitarian corridors. The Russian Federation guaranteed the safe evacuation of all civilians without exception and their movement in humanitarian convoys in any direction they choose.
“The officials of the Kiev authorities and the perpetrators of the inhumane action on Azovstal are war criminals and terrorists” – the Russian Ministry of Defence added.
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Thus, on April 19, the Russian Armed Forces opened another humanitarian corridor for the withdrawal of Ukrainian servicemen who voluntarily laid down their arms and militants of nationalist formations.
Such a decision could be a result of the Russian willingness to avoid humanitarian losses and provide Azov fighters with another chance to let civilians leave the trap. Taking into account the fact that the presence of civilians in the facility was denied, this was likely another step on the political and informational battlefield. At the same time, it is another concession for Ukrainian nationalists. Such soft military tactics are always perceived as weakness by enemy. The Azov fighters received another half-day to prepare for the upcoming battle for the Azovstal fortress.
Russian, DPR tanks suppressed the firing points of the Azov nationalist battalion in residential buildings in Mariupol:
The Illich plant under DPR control:
The head of the National Defense Management Center of the Russian Federation, Colonel-General M.E. Mizintsev, declared that the decision was made “taking into account the catastrophic situation at the Azovstal Metallurgical Plant in the city of Mariupol, as well as guided by purely humane principles”.
From 14:00 Moscow time on April 19, 2022, the Russian Armed Forces opened a humanitarian corridor for the withdrawal of Ukrainian servicemen and militants of nationalist formations who wanted to surrender.
The ceasefire regime was respected, units of the Russian Armed Forces and formations of the Donetsk People’s Republic have been withdrawn to a safe distance along the entire perimeter of Azovstal.
Three humanitarian columns were deployed in the vicinity of the metallurgical plant, in the following directions:
- from the western direction on Shevchenko Street;
- from the eastern direction on Pobedy Avenue;
- from the northern direction on Taganrogskaya Street.
Each humanitarian convoy consisted of 30 buses and cars, ten ambulances with medical and nursing teams. In addition, meeting points and temporary accommodation points have been deployed in all the directions.
The Ukrainian side was informed through the Deputy Prime Minister of the Government of Ukraine Vereshchuk Irina Andreevna. Azov fighters in Azovstal are also well aware of all Russian initiatives, as they have their own Internet connection in their shelter.
Despite Russia’s best efforts to avoid fighting, not a single person has left the Azovstal plant through the humanitarian corridors. This was confirmed by the head of the administration of the head of the DPR Alexey Nikonorov.
The fact confirmed once again the cruel essence of the Kiev regime and militants of the nationalist formations. Either the Ukrainian Nazis don’t want to let civilians go and are holding them hostage, or there are no civilians at all.
After the expiration of the ceasefire at 16:01, intense shelling on the territory of Azovstal resumed.
As the areas near the Azovstal facilities are secured by the DPR, evacuation of civilians continue. On April 19, more than 120 civilians were reportedly able to get out of the basements of the houses located near the main checkpoint of Azovstal, which is under the DPR control.
The only reason why the Azov fighters do not give up is Kiev’s desire to create new Ukrainian “heroes” (martyrs) and accuses Russia of cruelty. Such a decision by Kiev will have far-reaching political consequences in the international arena, and will also allow, finally, to get rid of the violent armed Ukrainian Nazis who have been outside Kiev’s control for years and posed a threat to the Kiev regime itself.
The soft Russian tactics are aimed at demonstrating the humaneness and strict observance of international law in an attempt to convince the so-called international community. Unfortunately, this damages the Russian troops themselves on the battlefields. Moreover, all of Kiev’s allies have been blind to Russia’s attempts to avoid military action in Ukraine for years, and they do not notice them today in Mariupol, since they have already waged war against Russia on the territory of Ukraine.
Civilians have no place in military fortress. Unless they are held as hostages.
or as food for Ukro-Orks…
If civilians die at Azovstal it won’t be any worse than the “Amiriyah shelter bombing” where more than 1,500 civilians died.
Very different situation. The Americans commented something like: yes we know that it was a civilian shelter, but we have a vision that it is now a military shelter, so we targeted that shelter and killed hundreds of civilians … shit happens …
On the other hand, there are militants in this factory who are holding civilians hostage. The Russians do not have much choice in this situation, because they must sooner or later neutralize those militants …
“A former United States Air Force general who worked as “the senior targeting officer for the Royal Saudi Air Force”, an “impeccable source” according to Robert Fisk, said in the aftermath of the bombing that There’s not a single soul in the American military who believes that this was a command-and-control bunker… We thought it was a military personnel bunker. Any military bunker is assumed to have some civilians in it. We have attacked bunkers where we assume there are women and children who are members of the families of military personnel who are allowed in the military bunkers”.”
Well, there you go. According to the ‘rules-based international order’, civilians or not – the RF has the green light for BOMBS AWAY.
Agree. The civilians themselves are guilty in being there, because its a place where they should not be!
You should join the party, just to check you stupid remark if it holds.
I think we could get away with just going straight through all of this, the world doesn’t listen to what we say anyway. Take prisoners, but don’t mess around. These Azovs are given too much time to prepare their human shields and their narratives. Let’s not forget that the UAF has an entire division devoted to propaganda, assisted by the British.
The video filmed by the Azov nazi is filmed in the dark in a different location and doesn’t show a single Azov nazi in any of the shots with the civilians. Both videos were shot seperately. I think they are just trying to buy time and are trying to keep some of the Russian forces in Mariupol for longer so that they don’t join the rest of the forces up North in the 2nd phase of the operation that has officially started.
Russian leadership is pathetic for constantly seeking validation. The west do not like u one bit have some shame
Every war the USA has fought after WW2 was mopping up after KGB’s subversion
Utterly moronic nonsense as usual… are really that stupid or just desperate for attention?
Both, most likely.
Yes disinformation is the perfect name for you
Strange, I always thought the evidence pointed to the opposite.
You need to be Reeducated in a North Korean Work Camp. And in just two years you’ll be able to recite the Little Red Book of Mao Tse Tung from Memory !!
If Soviets built this then Russians should have building plans of this place. Although is difficult to believe why would they built such a fortress only to shelter workers from the steel plant.
This was made during the cold war era to shelter up to 40,000 steel plant workers in case of a nuke war. I highly doubt those civilians are in there though.
Yeah I read it, but this place is a massive underground military base/fortress not just a nuclear shelter for workers.
A nuclear shelter doubles up as a military bunker quite nicely. For sure there are many people scrambling through paper archives to try to find any plans outside the plant itself.
If they want to prove there are civilians in there, let them send one out. If no one comes, you have your answer.
We don’t need no stinkin’ proofs! We already have our answer. It was written up weeks ago.
This was conceived in the Cold War as a nuclear shelter, as far as I understand. Or, as has been stated by other sources, it is kind of a (small) city within a city, for you would have to stay down there for a rather long time.
And since it is obviously built to withstand a nuclear blast it will take some time to grind it down with conventional means. Maybe the shelling, bombing and what have you is meant to wear them down mentally, because they must hear and feel the explosions.
Slowly start to flood it from the nearby industrial canal network. See who starts coming to surface rather than pointlessly drowning down in the dark as all the electrics start failing and lights going out.
Russia and China will create an analogue of the ECHR, this whole Azov and other criminal “dirt” will be convicted and hanged. And of course, when dealing with monsters, the first thing you want to “feed” them the same. But after thinking about it, you come to the idea that because there are animals there, it does not mean that our troops should turn into them. We are on the side of Good. We are Russians, God is with us!
I think calling them animals is somewhat like turning into them. They are the ones dehumanizing other people. But it is so very hard NOT to call them dehumanizing names, for they are so utterly evil. I am caught between a rock and a hard place.
BTW, hanging them would be breaking the promise of their lives being preserved in the above mentioned offer. I also think that would be too easy for them. They need to suffer long and suffer hard for what they did. I know gulags are frowned upon these days but maybe an exception can be made for aggravating circumstances?
Haaaaard labor is not unlawful…
Life of the Vermin will be preserved as promised, until the death sentence is executed, all legal as per Geneva….
Plenty of time to be tortured in hell, like eternity.
It is a very good idea to bring JUSTICE to our world for without it, there is no peace.
A bit of mercy makes it even better but too much mercy is unmerciful.
Fentanil in Gaseous form (carfentanil) WORKS WONDERS !!
Is good to capture and interrogate some Asov, find out what has been going on with NATO command and training. Find out directly what NATO goals and orders were in east. Then can give them to DRP administrators for trial over war crimes of continual shelling against Dontesk civilian districts.
Cowards of the highest order. Scum of the earth degenerates and lowlife cretins. KILL them, KILL them ALL!
i can’t stop but wonder what are thousands of civilians eating for a month in an industrial plant.
They most likely aren’t even there. Probably trying to buy time so that the Russians hesitate in directly storming them or using chlorine gas on them inside.
Seems to me tear gas would work just fine. But what do I know? Could be the OPCW classifed tear gas as a chemical weapon for this month only.
Chlorine gas would be just fine. They could place an industrial-size chlorine tank next to the entrance and then ‘accidentally’ send a round into it, like NATO did in Yugoslavia (and so much more) in ’99.
Oops. Well, it was after all some sort of a dual use thigamajig, they said.
CO2 could be used, it is heaver than oxigen, does not leave a trace. When the Air conditioning system fails, CO2 would naturally accumulate at the bottom of the tunnel system.
Problem is how to get tear gas down deep enough into vast multi-level underground complex. Also most military don’t carry huge stocks for combat operations – is more a police tool. The tunnels must have an air circulation system, with intake and expulsion towers, but to be nuclear or biological grade/proof shelters all this must have filter and purifier systems. Water from the adjacent industrial canal systems may be another simpler answer.
In the 8 years they prepare, they could have a MC donalds down there. Look for the exhaust pipes and the intake of fresh air. Do the Russians have IR cameras to detect them? Send drones with IR cameras to find them.
Is nuclear grade shelter from available info, so the air supply intake towers will have a filter system of some sort that likely able to filter out any introduced tear gas from exterior. Is a big underground complex designed for up to 4000 people, so air system must be capable displacing quite an airflow rate at max capacity.
Nazi Ukraine cowards, hiding behind women and children, utterly shameful !
la race arienne ils sont beau la race superieur qui se planque derriere des gosses des tafioles oui
des sans couilles il faut tous les exterminer pas de pitié
We are what we are and we do as we do.
That is why the Nazis must be wiped out. Exact for that reason.
If there are any civilians left (which is doubtful) then delaying the attack just gives the nazi terrorists more time to torture these poor souls before killing them. So to reduce the suffering, this attack should be hastened, not slowed down. But the most important thing is the lives of Russian/DNR/LNR servicemen who fight for their homeland. GLORY TO THE HEROES AND MARTYRS OF THE SECOND GREAT PATRIOTIC WAR! VICTORY TO RUSSIA AND ALL OF IT’S PEOPLE!
Surely the Russians have every map there is of this place and know where all the exits are, why not close all exits and leave one open, outside when the rats come out they will be welcomed Russian style, if you get my drift. Perhaps the welcoming comity should consist exclusively of soldiers from the Donetsk Republic, after all Mariupol is their city, and maybe they would like to have a little “friendly chat” with the rats before “taking care of them”.
This is of course the dream scenario, for as we all know the murdering scumbags hiding in the bunker, are not ordinary soldiers, but in most cases, I believe, some of the worst and most brutal killers of this war.
I fear that they actually may have a lot of innocent people down there with them as human shields, their devilish trademark, which complicates things. I truly feel sorry for those people, they don’t deserve this. The human looking killer bots, these terminators, on the other hand, deserve everything that is coming to them. I bet that the people of Donbass can’t wait get their hands on them, I wonder why? I foresee that these sick bastards, when they return to the surface, will be shaking like leafs in the wind, and many of them will cry like babies, for they know what is awaiting them, And its not good, far from it…
Any plans are likely to be in the plant itself, in UAF hands, so not available to Russia or DPR forces.
If the bunker was built during the Soviet era, surely the Russians would have the plans in some archive in the Kremlin? Makes sense to me.
Maybe, maybe not. Ukraine was a separate SSR in Soviet times, so it is very likely that the plans are in Ukraine, if they survived at all. The 1990s were very turbulent times for the whole former USSR.
Even if they have the plans, it may not be feasible to try and fight it out inside the catacombs, as the head of the DPR alluded to the other day.
Valid points. Very interesting comment from the head of the DPR that it basically would be impossible to go after them down there in the catacombs of the bunker. So even with the plans it wouldn’t change anything really? And it may also have been extended in ways that only the Azov battalion insiders know about. Not good. Lets just hope that no civilians are down there with them. I suppose the only good point is that they are underground, where they can’t hurt anybody else, unless they run out of food and have to start eating each other. lol.
I believe that if there are civilians down there they are the families of the Azov Nazis as their “commander” alluded to in that video, if I remember correctly. And if that is so, I cannot help but think of Joseph Goebbels’ family in 1945. His wife, in the end, poisoned their children.
To be perfectly honest, I do not consider such individuals, like the wives, husbands, girlfriends, whatever, that provide moral support for the actions of such evil individuals as pure civilians. I loathe those proud mothers in the Third Reich that got awarded the “Mutterkreuz” (Mother Cross medal) for baring a great number of children to ultimately become “Good German Nazis”. Every time I see Nazi broads that cheer their boyfriend/husband on, I just want to punch them. Those are not mere civilians, they are enablers and just as culpable. They do not get to hide behind a civilian facade, and they definetly are not hostages. So, long story short, I couldn’t care less about their wellbeing. Treat them like combatants – if you think of their beloved “hero” as the “gunner” then they are the “loaders”.
Not so sure about the children, though. Their minds have most likely been poisoned already, as can be seen in some of the propaganda videos circling on the internet – and that is the most despicable crime. But they are children, after all… It’s all just so f*** up.
Great analogy comparing Goebbels last stand in the bunker to the Azov Nazis current situation. Perhaps these nutters actually will decide to die where they are and take everybody else, including their own families, with them? Many of the scumbags below ground are certainly now desperate to surrender, but I have a feeling that their commanders quickly will kill anybody who tries.
Lot’s of sense ! … not sure if all plans for what was built in the soviet era in USSR was sent to Moscow but still, there should be copies of those plans available for everyone to see..
So say the Putin cockroaches that destroyed a theater full of children. Even when there were several signs written outside the theater saying that there were children the Putin cockroaches decided to murder them. I suppose this is another one of those moments where the Putin cockroaches are looking for every excuse they can to murder those children in Azovstal. Because children have been hiding from the Putin cockroaches everywhere in Mariupol. Azovstal wouldn’t be an exception. If there’s an underground bunker anywhere in Mariupol then there are children in it.
The theater, where survivors tell, it was detonated by the ASOF Nazis?
Yes, it was according to eyewhitness
Please give me attention, come on, feed the troll!
That excites you, doesn’t it?
You have this strange chronic compulsion to refer to Russians as cockroaches in every post. I wish you wouldn’t do that because as most folks know, cockroaches will easily survive a nuclear war and I really would prefer you not give the Russians any ideas.
Yamil Perez is that you, and more of your usual bullshit?
Also, why is an Israeli Herzliya troll pretending to be a Muslim?
Russia wasting time trying negotiating or end the operation peacefully. The west don’t care and will never appreciate. Only Russia solders will pay heavy price for nothing.
Did it ever occur to you that it is not about the west? Why is it so hard to believe in the sincere humanity of the Russians? They don’t need to virtue signal, they need to be able to look at themselves in the mirror. And, quite frankly, killing off the Azov Nazis would make it too easy on them. They need very harsh punishments and not a rather quick death.
But the article also mentioned that Kiev may WANT the Azov Nazis dead, because it is them who threatened Elensky, so he would not pursue peace or even think about implementing the Minsk II Agreement, the very thing he promised in his election campaign. He even doubled down in his inauguration speech and said he’d lay down his mandate if he did not achieve peace. And then he made a complete U-turn after he had visited the Donbass front and talked to Azov fighters who openly disobeyed his orders and showed him who is boss.
hxxps://thegrayzone.com/2022/03/04/nazis-ukrainian-war-russia/
I dont think so, time is in favour for the russians. AFU is not able of a large scale counter offensive,
AFU looses a shit-ton of fighters due to missiles and artillery strikes. AFU is running out of fuel. All the arm delivered by the West are wasted.
What a difficult task. I’d make one final plea for the Azovs to release civilians, esp. children. I’d do this because it separates soldiers from civilians and makes it clear that the Azovs have REFUSED to release civilians to freedom. It takes away their narrative of shelter.
Once that’s on record for the future, the operation will probably use blueprints from the Soviet era along with some educated guesswork. To get rats, you have to think like one. Unfortunately, you will have to assume that the defenders are lying and proceed like a machine, using a combination of gas used like artillery, followed by manpower and small robots that can go ahead along tunnels. That last suggestion will save lives, and I’m sure they’re already on top of it.
Hmmmm; some of these Azov and regular army have been captured. Does anyone think it worth a try to offer knowledgable few of them a nice 3 month vacation on an oligarch’s super yacht for them and their families, and forgiveness from Siberia if they could just help parse info on the nature of this underground system?
NATO – North Atlantic Terrorist Organisation
For NATO the Mariupol offensive is just a two days job, they just bombard the area to butcher all along with innocent hostage civilians to show the result while Russia waits to save innocent lives which delay the offensive.
We have already seen this in the NATO offensive in the Iraq war and in Raqqa in Syria where NATO butchered thousands of civilians.
This is the difference between a civilised government like Russia and a terrorist organisation NATO.
Well, technically, it wasn’t NATO that invaded Iraq. Some NATO members were strongly opposed and did not participate, hence “The Coalition Of The Willing”. But the original sin of NATO goes back a little further, to 1999. Ask Serbia. Their attitude vis-a-vis the Ukraine conflict is no coincidence. And the Kosovo conflict was created because NATO was in a deep identity crisis, because its enemy, the USSR, had vanished and it was no longer necessary and had to either dissolve or reinvent itself. And we all know how that went down. That is also why Ukraine played the genocide card, hoping to repeat 1999.
Perhaps pumping red smoke into the tunnels might expose some of the hidden exits?
Not if they are sealed. Since it is supposed to be a nuclear shelter, the exits must be airtight, hence the Azov Nazis only need to shut the doors to prevent the smoke from even coming in.
The location of the original exits are certainly known and documented. The smoke could help reveal some that the Azov made over the past 8 years with much less care, as well as ventilation outlets/intakes.
I’d make it blue smoke, so they feel more comfortable down there. They could alternate between blue smoke and yellow sulfur powder, so they could feel even more at home while they smell the fire and brimstone awaiting them, on Earth or in Hell.
Oh, my – I’m waxing a bit poetic over the grizzly fate of the nazi state. Please excuse my lack of empathy. I still remember 2014.
Of course that’s an Italian socialist slogan and I’m a western capitalist but it still has a ring to it.
If I were a DLNR combatant, I’d plaster photos of the hundreds of children the noble Banderites sent to their early graves in the Donbass on all my heavy armor and munitions, except for the very best ones. Those I’d reserve for a life size portrait of the Madonna of Gorlovka and her newborn, before and after the Banderites had ‘liberated’ them from their limbs and this life. Simply because they demanded a voice and a vote in the country they once called home.
Yes, indeed. The woman who launched a thousand cruise missiles. She and thousands more like her. Could it ever have been any other way? Turchinov thought not. Poroshenko thought not. Zelensky thought not. Nuland and company thought not. So many others thought not. Some pretended they did and voted for Minsk II and UNSC Res 2202, then thought not. Oh well. C’est la mort.
Blast (pump) air+tracer into an entry and see some of the points where the tracer exits.
As I said above: nuclear shelter. Close the doors and nothing comes in, nothing goes out.
Tear gas them out .
Lol! The Russians are blowing up any weapons as they are shipped into the Ukraine. Remember, they have 89 military satellites to track movements just like the does. Personally, I suspect they will start to cement the entrances to the underground portion of the steel plant.
They can drink each other’s blood and eat each other’s bodies to celebrate Easter. Celebrate as long as you like, guys…
NATO childsexfort must be cleansed from CIA molesters and US childrapers!
This is a dream come true for real rough Spesnasz troopers. They just need to find an entrance and then sneak in.
It was my impression from the very beginning that Russian army operates to “softly”. It is, of course, nice towards Ukrainian civilians, however, did cost many lives among Russian soldiers, and Russian army lost momentum and even had to withdraw at many places. So, the question arises, what was all that softness good for? Did it bring some sympathy among the Ukrainians? I don’t think so.
Anybody thought of sending a delegation of 4 or so neutral peacekeepers into the dungeons to verify the presence of civilians? Say, from the Red Cross for example.
Such a task will take forever to set up and Russia doesn’t have time to pin men for so long considering the Donbas thrust, also most NGOs from the west are infiltrated by western intelligence as proven before in Iraq, Libya and Syria.
Send Jen Psaki and her cronies to her beloved Azov-Nazis in their dungeons.
I don’t think it would take more than 3 days or so to arrange and carry out. I think that RC would be willing.
I agree that, sadly, many/most of these aid groups are compromised by US pressure and insiders. Red Cross, along with Oxfam are the last two charities I contribute to because I have confidence in them to put people first. Oxfam is left wing (i.e. grass roots), but that is fine with me.
I wonder how Saakashvili’s doing these days? Is he lamenting that all his former bodyguards/maidan snipers/current terrorists are stuck in a Ukrainian hole and Georgia refuses them re-entry, if they ever make it out alive? There go his hopes that they’ll one day ‘liberate’ him, I guess.
I thought about him the other day. Hope he is doing alright. He was, of course, and still is, one the great scumbags of our time. Possibly even in the Hall of Fame?
Dear Russia, the UK and US do not give a sheet about civilians. They claim to when it suits them to. The British MURDERED their elderly with Midazolam, they murder the sick with Remdesivir, then they say the unjabbed died. The UK and US do not prosecute for rape unless it suits them to. They are corrupt. If you bombed us up and changed our regimes, you would be doing us a big favour. I do not believe that the elections in the UK are fair, I believe there is a lot of corruption.
I seem to remember that vote fraud was the main reason that the first Scottish referendum for independence was lost for the Scots.
Looks like they are waiting for the Hitler death date to do what he did.