AZOVSTAL

Mariupol Metallurgical Plant "Azovstal" is a symbol of indomitability of soldiers of the Azov Regiment, the National Guard of Ukraine, the Ukrainian Naval Infantry Corps and motorized riflemen. For almost 80 days, they successfully defended Mariupol from 20,000 Russian troops. According to the Minister for the British Armed Forces James Heappey, the heroic defense of the defenders of the city on the territory of "Azovstal" will be included in military history textbooks as a key factor in Ukraine's success in the war with Russia. Thanks to the defenders of Mariupol, they managed to withdraw Russian troops from Kyiv and stop the offensive in Zaporizhia and Donetsk regions.
For a long time, Russia did not agree to conduct a humanitarian mission. Only on May 7, all women, children and the elderly were evacuated from Azovstal, and on May 16, the procedure for extracting Azovstal defenders for further exchange began.
“Azovstal” was destroyed by constant shelling and heavy bombardment by the Russian army. In just one month, the occupiers dropped 714 tons of bombs in TNT equivalent on the plant.