Ukrainian soldiers taken ‘barely moving’ says expert
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Ukrainian forces that were defending the Mariupol stronghold of the Azovstal steel works have been removed by invading Russian forces. The troops have been trapped under Russian attack for more than two months and many have been seriously wounded. 53 Ukrainian soldiers removed from the steel plant have been confirmed to have severe injuries. Speaking to the BBC, Joe Inwood said: “Well some of them, the 53 that you referred to, some of them are in an incredibly bad state. “We haven’t been given the exact details but you can just see from the pictures that were released.”
The reporter continued: “You can see row upon row of men, some of them barely moving.
“We’ve seen videos before, I’ve unfortunately seen some rather gruesome ones from people inside with limbs broken, missing limbs.
“We understand that they’ve really really been lacking medical care and we don’t know exactly what state they will be in now.
“We understand they are being taken to a medical facility where they are being given treatment.”
Russian forces involved in the removal of Ukrainian forces from the Azovstal plant have reportedly transferred the injured soldiers to a medical care facility.
Mr Inwood said: “The Russians say they’re being given treatment, President Zelensky confirmed that.
“We understand as well that the United Nations and the Red Cross are involved in this and I think that’s quite important to understand.
“The only way that we’ve seen any successful evacuations from this plant, over the course of the last few weeks, is when those two international bodies have been involved and they seem to have had success, again, this time.”
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Footage has been revealed of injured Ukrainian soldiers being transferred from Mariupol to areas of Russian controlled territory.
The soldiers are seen lying on bunks beds, most visibly exhausted and lying incredibly still in the cramped transport cabins.
Mr Inwood also detailed a further “couple of hundred” Ukrainian soldiers that were not as seriously injured and have been moved to a seperate location.
He said: “They’ve been taken to a sort of detention facility inside Russian territory.”
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The Ukrainian city of Mariupol has been under intense Russian siege for months and the Azovstal steel works was the remaining stronghold of Ukrainian defence in the region.
Military leaders in footage from inside the steel works during the siege claimed the group had been struggling for essential supplies including food and urgent medical care.
The Ukrainian soldiers have been evacuated from Mariupol as part of a deal made by Ukrainian authorities with Russian forces.
Ukraine’s Deputy Defence Minister, Hanna Maliar, explained the evacuated troops would be exchanged for Russian soldiers captured during the conflict.
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