Ukrainian Commander Warns Russian Soldiers 'Will Soon Kill Us' If Other Countries Don't Help

KEY POINTS

The commander said they are facing their last days as Russian forces advance into Mariupol
The Azovstal complex is housing at least 500 wounded Ukrainian soldiers and 1,000 civilians
Russian forces have been bombarding the plant with artillery and air raids

A Ukrainian commander of one of the last remaining troops holding the besieged city of Mariupol has warned in a video that Russian soldiers will kill them if other countries do not help in the war.

Maj. Serhiy Volyna of the 36th Marine Brigade said there were at least 500 wounded soldiers and many civilians holing up with them at the Azovstal steel plant, which has become the last stand, as Russian troops attempt to take control of the port city.

The commander, who posted the video on what appeared to be his personal Facebook page, said they are likely facing their “last days, if not hours” and pleaded to foreign leaders for help in getting them to safety.

“The enemy is outnumbering us 10 to one. The bombing has increased, they will soon kill us,” Volyna said in the video message. “We appeal and plead to all world leaders to help us. We ask them to use the procedure of extraction and take us to the territory of a third-party state.”

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Volyna also tagged Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, President Joe Biden, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Turkish President Recept Tayyip Erdogan in the video message.

The Azovstal complex has become the home to thousands of Ukrainian soldiers, including Ukraine’s controversial Azov battalion. The plant is also believed to be housing at least 1,000 civilians as Russian forces advance into the heart of the city.

The plant has a mass of tunnels and workshops underground, providing defenders with some type of advantage. Yan Gagin, an official with the separatist Donetsk People’s Republic, said the plant had “another city” underground.

Russian forces have been bombarding the plant with artillery and air raids. The Kremlin has also issued two demands for the Mariupol troops to surrender. However, not a single soldier has surrendered to date.

Russian troops have killed at least 21,000 in Mariupol since it invaded Ukraine in February, according to Ukrainian estimates. Ukraine on Wednesday morning announced it is planning to send 90 buses to evacuate at least 6,000 civilians from the besieged city, adding that it has reached a “preliminary agreement” with Russia for safe passage.