The controversial Azov Battalion, in which Nazis are about 10% of the fighters according to the BBC, is reportedly besieged in the Azovstal metallurgical plant, according to a statement released today by the Russian Ministry of Defense and reported by Reuters.
The Russians say that “The entire city territory of Mariupol has been completely cleared of fighters of the Nazi formation Azov, foreign mercenaries and Ukrainian troops,” claiming that the city has totally fallen into Russian hands.
They add that “The remnants of the Ukrainian group are now completely blocked on the territory of the Azovstal metallurgical plant” and call for the remaining troops to “lay down their arms and surrender.”
Pro-Russia accounts on social media have posted maps that show Azovstal as the only area in the city not under Russian control.
Current situation of Mariupol City, the Russian MoD officially announced that Azovstal is the last remaining area occupied by Azov militants, all the urban settlements have been liberated! pic.twitter.com/7MucuOxpNX
— UkraineMaps (@MapsUkraine) April 16, 2022
Moscow claims that at least 8,100 Ukrainian personnel, including the Azov Battalion, were in the city prior to the siege. They claim that “the total number” of remaining defenders “who took refuge at Azovstal does not exceed 2,500.”
They also claim nearly 1,500 Ukrainians have surrendered.
Videos released from Moscow show Azovstal under heavy bombing. Many speculate that the Russians will not attempt an assault on the heavily guarded metallurgical plant, but will instead continue its bombing campaigns.
#AZOVSTAL—#Russia|n Air Force conducts precision bomb strikes at #Azov #Ukraine|ian #NationalGuard regiment positions in the #Azovstal industrial complex of #Mariupol. pic.twitter.com/bwgLlQOq95
— Slavyangrad (@NuestraIraSLG) April 15, 2022
Azovstal was established in 1930, and continued until its production was stopped in 1941 when Nazi Germany occupied Mariupol. It was in continuous operation since 1943 until the 2022 invasion of Ukraine.
The Azov Battalion’s soldiers frequently use known neo-Nazi icons, and Russia has pointed to its existence as evidence that its goal of “denazification” in Ukraine is not without merit.
Russia also drastically contradicted Ukraine’s reports of its losses, claiming that “Ukrainian irretrievable losses amount to 23,367.” Ukraine puts the number in the low thousands, but suggests Russia has lost that number of troops.
Moscow announced a “special military operation” against Ukraine earlier this year after a years long standoff over the disputed Donbass region. Russia claims it launched its “special military operation” to protect ethnic Russians from Ukrainian state violence, while Ukraine and much of the international community say the invasion was unprovoked.
