Russians block exits from underground passages at Azovstal, Mariupol defenders counterattack

Russian troops are blocking the exits from underground passages at the Mariupol-based Azovstal plant, but Ukrainian defenders are launching counterattacks.

The relevant statement was made by Advisor to Mariupol Mayor Petro Andriushchenko on Telegram, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

“Yesterday the enemy did not stop their ground assault attempts. The key objective is to block the exits from underground passages, which have been shown to the enemy by a traitor. Nevertheless, Mariupol defenders are making counterattack attempts, risking everything. There are no words to describe the heroism of Mariupol defenders,” Andriushchenko wrote.

In his words, enemy drones are one of the biggest problems. If there had been a way to blind or down them, things would have been much easier for Mariupol defenders.

A reminder that Ukraine has offered Russia to release Russian prisoners of war in exchange for the evacuation of seriously wounded Ukrainian servicemen from the Azovstal plant.

According to Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister, Temporary Occupied Territories Reintegration Minister Iryna Vereshchuk, now it is impossible to unblock the Mariupol-based Azovstal plant through military means. Mariupol defenders are not planning to surrender, and the Russian side does not agree on the extraction procedure.

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