The West was mesmerised by their stamina. The Azov Battalion communicated with the outside world via their Telegram channel, where they posted videos of the assaults and photos of heavily wounded fighters, and urged the government to find a way to evacuate them. Russian President Vladimir Putin said in late April that his forces would stop trying to seize Azovstal – and would instead blockade it so “a fly doesn’t fly through”.īut the attacks went on and on with strategic bombers, heavy artillery strikes, drones, tanks and infantry even though hundreds of Mariupol civilians found shelter in Azovstal.
Resembling a giant film set for a post-apocalyptic movie, Azovstal occupies 11 square kilometres (4.25 square miles) and remained the only Ukrainian stronghold in the Azov Sea port where Russian shelling killed tens of thousands of civilians, according to Ukrainian officials.
Their resistance thwarted Moscow’s advance in Ukraine’s south and east the way the Spartans helped put an end to the Persian conquest of Greece more than 2,500 years ago.įor almost three months, they repelled Russian attacks on the subterranean maze of Soviet-era bomb shelters and service tunnels under the Azovstal steel plant in Mariupol. Kyiv, Ukraine – For many Ukrainians, the Azov Battalion servicemen are the 300 Spartans.
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