Occupiers capsize part of their troops from the bombed Mariupol/Frame from video
Russia has not solved the problem of the final occupation of Mariupol. But the Ukrainian defenders continue to defend on the territory of the Azovstal plant. But the invaders are already gradually withdrawing their troops from there.
It is Mariupol that should become the center of the Kremlin's occupation narrative. They switched their attention to him when they realized that “taking Kyiv in three days” would not be possible. Therefore, considerable efforts were assigned to his entourage and captures.
At the same time, the Russians were not so interested in capturing Mariupol for its “liberation” as in destroying the Ukrainians there. Consequently, the city was subjected to a considerable number of attacks and shelling. And after partially capturing it – the massacre of civilians. According to preliminary data, more than 20 thousand residents of the city died as a result of Russian occupation. The city is important for the invaders only as a land corridor to the occupied Crimea.
The only place in Mariupol where Ukrainians continue to resist is the territory of the Azovstal plant. There, the fighters of the “Azov” floor and the marines are holding the defense.
In total, a dozen battalion tactical groups were thrown into the assault on Mariupol by the Russian invaders. Now only two of them remain in the city. This was announced by one of the senior representatives of the US Department of Defense. The Russians believe that this will be enough to storm the defenders of Azovstal.
It is worth noting that each battalion tactical group has about 600-800 officers and soldiers, of which about 200 infantrymen, equipped with about 10 tanks and 40 infantry fighting vehicles. It is not indicated exactly where.
The defenders of Mariupol held back the attack on Donbass
Consequently, it was the defenders of Mariupol, who are still holding the line at Azovstal, who stopped the Russian breakthrough in Donbass. After all, they kept a significant part of the invaders, which the Kremlin could not use in other sectors of the front. Thus, they at least bought time for other Ukrainian defenders, who could get powerful weapons to fight the enemy.
As for the assault on Azovstal itself, the invaders continue to use heavy artillery and aircraft for the assault. But there is no way to move forward. The Ukrainian military reports heavy bloody battles on the territory of the plant.
At the same time, civilians continue to be at Azovstal. Despite claims that all civilians have been evacuated, about a hundred more people are in storage there.
