Three humanitarian corridors were opened for those who voluntarily laid down their arms to leave
April 19, at 13.30, a “silence regime” was declared at Azovstal in Mariupol. The Ukrainian armed units and foreign mercenaries blocked in the industrial zone were again asked to lay down their arms and leave along specially created corridors. All who surrendered were guaranteed to save their lives. We talked with political scientist Marat Bashirov about what is happening in the industrial zone and how events may develop further.
Photo: dan-news.info.
April 19, official Kyiv once again called for prudence. The Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation has organized three humanitarian corridors for the militants of nationalist battalions and foreign mercenaries who have settled on Azovstal. They were asked to come out from the west – to Shevchenko Street, from the east – to Pobeda Avenue, from the north – to Taganrogskaya Street. Where columns of buses, cars for transporting people, ambulances were waiting, food and primary medical aid stations were organized.
– The beginning was announced at 12 o'clock, the exit from 14 to 16 o'clock, – says Marat Bashirov. – But I think that none of them will lay down their arms, will not put up a white flag. I have little hope for this. There are foreign detachments of nationalists who do not allow the rest to leave.
And now there is information that they are on drugs, special military chemicals. This is a drug that is highly addictive, turns off the feeling of physical pain. If, after the agreed period, they do not leave the factory without any weapons and ammunition, the industrial zone can be treated with heavy aerial bombs. They say that a powerful blast wave from them is felt even a kilometer from the explosion site. These are explosions of monstrous force, such bombs are capable of penetrating 6 meters of concrete. And then the cleanup will begin.
—Our assault teams are already working on the northern section of Azovstal. They entered the territory of the plant and part of the shops was cleared.
“These are fighters who have the skills to fight in urban environments. We know that Chechen units, assault groups of the People's Militia of the DPR, marines are working there. They operate with the support of heavy equipment. That is, there is a tank, an infantry fighting vehicle. And where there are pockets of resistance, especially snipers, they are handled by heavy equipment.
– With powerful shelling, there are always many killed and wounded. It is reported that part of the communication underground corridors and large galleries, through which militants and mercenaries could move, were destroyed. A whole underground city was built there, 24 kilometers of communications. Those who worked there say that in some places you can drive a KamAZ truck.
– There is a huge territory, there were special bus routes at Azovstal so that workers could move between buildings.
– Many experts agree that there are about 3 thousand of them. This also follows from the interrogations of prisoners, who say that there are approximately 1.5 thousand combat-ready fighters and 1.5 thousand wounded.
– Separate groups under the cover of night may try to leave the plant, as was the case with the 36th separate brigade of the Marine Corps of the Ukrainian Navy, which was surrounded on the territory of the Ilyich plant. But around Azovstal, as far as I know, there are several defense perimeters. If they know some kind of underground passage, and they manage to slip through the first perimeter, then they will be stopped at the second or third defense perimeter. They are unlikely to leave the territory of Azovstal.
“We are most likely talking about baric bombs. When such a bomb explodes, a combustible substance in the form of an aerosol is sprayed into the room, fills the entire space with itself, and then a gas cloud is blown up. If it becomes clear that everything is rolled up from above, and the nationalists and mercenaries do not surrender, so that our assault groups do not go down, such baric bombs can be used.
– This is understandable, because it is necessary to release forces for the environment Donetsk garrison. If here there were about 8,000 “Veseushniks”, nationalists, together with foreign mercenaries, then there are several tens of thousands, they say, almost 90. This is a lot. It is clear that they are still moving, so the numbers vary.
– For this, special territories can be created, where security is posted around the perimeter. Some ordinary production site can be used, and the surrendered military personnel are inside.
— Nobody canceled the Hippocratic Oath. Humane principles must be spread further. This is what makes us different from them.
