'Amputations Without Anesthesia': Ukrainian Soldier Narrates Life Inside Besieged Azovstal

There are over 600 wounded soldiers inside the besieged Azovstal steel plant in the southeastern port of Mariupol, and 40 of them are in serious condition, requiring immediate evacuation.

According to the commander of the 12th operational brigade of the National Guard of Ukraine, Denis Shlega, medicines and medical instruments are "really lacking," reported the Ukrainian service of Radio Liberty.

Confirming the report, four women, spouses of the Ukrainian soldiers trapped at Azovstal, appeared online Sunday, requesting the aid of Turkey. According to Ekaterina Prokopenko, Yulia Fedosyuk, Anna Naumenko and Daria Tsikunova, their husbands only drink a glass of water a day and have very few food supplies.

The women added that many seriously wounded soldiers die due to the lack of medicine inside the plant, and there have been cases of amputations without anesthesia. They requested Turkey president Recep Erdogan to help their husbands, saying they were going to Turkey to meet with the President.

Meanwhile, Dmitry Kozatsky, a member of the Azov Regiment who is now at Azovstal, told Current Time TV that there is just a week's food left inside the plant. He added that they eat only once a day to save food.

"In terms of food and water, I think there are approximately five days left, for a week, maybe. Today we had lunch: we only have lunch, we have one meal a day. It was oatmeal and little carrots," he said.

He added that there were no medicines, which means the wounded get worse every day. "Since there are no medicines and means for the treatment, the condition of our wounded soldiers is getting worse and worse every day. The approximate number of our wounded is 600-700 people, but we cannot give an exact figure because even with wounds, some stand up to fight further. Unfortunately, due to the lack of antibiotics, we see complications in those who have had amputations and other injuries. Our doctors are doing their best, but, unfortunately, the situation is critical," Kozatsky told the news outlet.

He added that drinking water has already run out. "So we use processed water and try to boil it. In terms of food and water, I think there are approximately five days left, maybe a week," he added.

Kozatsky said they are surrounded, and there is no way they can get out of here with what they have left. "We do not have much ammunition left, for example, not many people who are combat-ready," he said, adding that Turkey is the best option for evacuation.

Meanwhile, Turkey has announced that they are working to negotiate an exit for the wounded soldiers but its efforts have been complicated as Russia nor Ukraine has given clearance for the plan.