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Russia Zelensky could hails swap soldiers steelas steel plant siege siege is heroes ended
HUNDREDS of besieged Ukrainian soldiers have emerged from the Mariupol steelworks and handed themselves over to Russian forces.
Their evacuation into Russian custody triggered talks of prisoner swaps, though some top Russians opposed the idea.
Many of the Mariupol evacuees have horrific injuries and are being treated at medical facilities in Russian-held territory.
Just over 260 fighters held off Russian attacks for more than 80 days, hiding in tunnels. It is not clear whether any remain.
Ukraine’s military command said yesterday the mission to defend the plant was over. President Zelensky said: “Ukraine needs Ukrainian heroes alive.”
Seven buses carrying Ukrainian fighters from the plant arrived yesterday at a former penal colony in the Russian-controlled town of Olenivka, near Donetsk.
But Russian negotiator Leonid Slutsky called the evacuees “animals in human form”.
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He added: “They do not deserve to live after the crimes against humanity they have committed.”
Vyacheslav Volodin, speaker of the State Duma, Russia’s lower house, said: “Nazi criminals should not be exchanged.”
Many of the soldiers are from the Azov battalion, which was formed in 2014 as an extreme right-wing militia. Ukraine says the group has been reformed.
Officials fear Russian forces will appoint Chechen soldiers to “control” the citizens of Mariupol.
Pavlo Andryushchenko, adviser to the mayor of the city, said Russia had offered the Chechens “looting rights” to Mariupol.
Russian forces continue to pound Ukraine with missiles, killing 10 civilians and injuring three in a strike on Chernihiv.
Donetsk regional governor Pavlo Kyrylenko said yesterday Russian attacks had killed seven people and injured six.
In Lviv, officials were investigating Monday night’s air strikes aimed at a military storage area.
Sweden and Finland are today due to apply to join NATO.
Meanwhile, Russians lined up in Moscow yesterday for a last Big Mac from one of the few Mcdonald’s outlets left open there.