'They will never surrender' Russia promised fight to death as Mariupol refuses to give in
THE former head of the Ukrainian military academy Vladimir Polyakov said Mariupol defenders "will never surrender" to Russia despite the persistent pressure and attacks waged against the city.
Mariupol: 'These men will never surrender' says Polyakov
Following the significant intensification of fighting in Mariupol, former head of the Ukrainian military academy Vladimir Polyakov said Mariupol defenders “will never surrender”. “They are Ukrainian patriots”, claimed the Ukrainian officer. Russia has been heavily targeting the eastern Ukrainian city for weeks in hopes of securing at least one major objective in their s0-far failing campaign.
Speaking at BBC Newsnight, Mr Polyakov said: “Imagine, the whole Russian military machine is trying to destroy a tiny group of people who are trying to organise a defence and simultaneously protect civilians who are inside”.
Following the statement, BBC Newsnight journalist Kirsty Wark asked the officer: “When did you last speak to commander Volny?"
Ms Wark refers to marine commander Serhiy Volny now heading the Ukrainian defence in the port city of Mariupol.
The Ukrainian officer replied: “I spoke to him long time ago.
“Now we are exchanging messages on social media.
“It is impossible to talk."
Ms Wark also asked: “What was the latest text that you had from commander Volny? When did you get that text?”
Mr Polyakov said: “I received a text 15 minutes ago. He sent me a plus.
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“That means he is alive and he is continuing to fight."
Following the latest updates from Mariupol, which seem to confirm a Russian advance in the city and significant intensification of fighting between Russian and Ukrainian troops, the BBC Newsnight journalist asked: “Do you think that eventually these men are going to have to surrender?”
Mr Polyakov firmly said: “These men will never surrender."
He continued: “They can be taken hostage, but I know my boys who I trained for two years, they are Ukrainian patriots”
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“These people do not give up”, he concluded.
The claims come after updates from Ukraine which seem to indicate that the situation in Mariupol as well as other cities in southeast regions of Ukraine is escalating.
President Zelensky himself confirmed the claims, and firmly said: “The situation in Mariupol is deteriorating”.
He also said that over 1,000 civilians are believed to be trapped in the Azovstal steel plant together with the remaining Ukrainian fighters who are significantly outnumbered by Russian troops.
“Crimes that are happening there are far more scary and large scale than in Borodyanka”, said the Ukrainian President.