”Unblocking Mariupol is the competence of the Armed Forces.” The Presidentʼs Office commented on the situation with the military at Azovstal

The Presidentʼs Office said the authorities were doing everything possible to evacuate the military from the Russian-blocked Azovstal plant in Mariupol.

Mykhailo Podoliak, an adviser to the head of the Presidentʼs Office, wrote about this.

"The life of every defender is sacred to the Ukrainian state. The Presidentʼs Office and I personally are in constant communication with the defenders of Azovstal: the guys from Azov, the police, the border service, and the Marines. During these months, they have become a living symbol of Ukraine, " Podoliak wrote.

He explained that every conversation between President Volodymyr Zelensky and world leaders begins with the topic of Azovstal. "The issue of unblocking Mariupol is the exclusive competence of the Armed Forces. If there was at least one possibility, the Armed Forces would use it. The military command is working hard to make this possible. But the issue of military plans is definitely not the subject of public discussion, "Podoliak said.

• On Sunday, Azov fighters stationed at Azovstal held a two-hour press conference. They claimed that about 2,500 Russian soldiers had been killed in Mariupol and said that the commander of the 36th Marine Brigade, Volodymyr Baranyuk, had tried to escape from the blockade of Mariupol with a group of fighters and armored vehicles. But the Russian media has already shown that he had been captured.