Azovstal/ua.news
Measures began in Kyiv identification of the fallen defenders of Mariupol from the Azovstal plant, whose bodies were received during the exchanges.
The bodies of the defenders of Mariupol are already in Kyiv
This was announced by the former commander of one of the volunteer regiments of Ukraine Maxim Zhorin. According to him, two exchanges of the bodies of the dead have already taken place: during the first, 160 were exchanged for 160, and during the second, 60 bodies were taken.
I can’t say many details, but I can share some information. Almost the same number of bodies still need to be returned. Almost the same number of bodies are in Mariupol. Now there are processes, negotiations on the upcoming exchange and their return home,” said Zhorin.
He said that among the dead there are fighters from all units: marines, police, SBU, border guards, but most of all from a volunteer battalion. This can be understood from the clothes and chevrons, but it will take a lot of time to personally identify each defender.
Zhorin added that all the bodies of Ukrainian victims have already returned to Kyiv.
“Now a very difficult work is beginning to identify the bodies. Most of these bodies are in a terrible state and it is impossible to visually identify them. Therefore, complex examinations will have to be carried out, the identification process may take several months,” the former commander said.
He also said that the patronage service of the volunteer battalion is trying to speed up and facilitate the work of identification. And negotiations will continue until Ukraine returns all the dead defenders.
Evacuation from Azovstal: what is known
- For more than two months, the defenders of Mariupol held back the Russian invaders, who had several times the advantage in numbers. The battles for Azovstal lasted longer, and in May the defenders were ordered to stop the defense of Mariupol.
- On May 16, the evacuation of the Ukrainian military began from Azovstal. The Ukrainian defenders were taken to the occupied territories.
- In early June, information appeared that Russia had handed over the bodies of our first defenders to Ukraine. Then there was an exchange of 160 for 160.
- As of June 7, it was reported that 210 bodies of the defenders of Mariupol had been returned. At the same time, President Volodymyr Zelensky informed that more than 2.5 thousand defenders of Azovstal were held captive by kafirs.
