Last update: May 23 – 2022 7:56 AM
Azovstal Factory – Archyde.com
After hundreds of Ukrainian troops withdrew from the Azovstal steel plant in Mariupol, Russian soldiers began clearing mines and debris left over from the fierce battles in the area.
Video footage showed soldiers walking into the compound and using mine detectors on debris-strewn roads, while others checked everything for explosive devices.
A Russian soldier named Babai said: “The mission is huge. The enemy has planted its own land mines, and we have also planted anti-personnel mines while repelling the enemy. So we have regarding two weeks of work.”
On Friday, Russia announced that the last Ukrainian fighters defending Azovstal had surrendered. Ukraine has not confirmed this news, but a commander of one of the units at the factory said in a video clip that the forces had been ordered to withdraw.
The fighters holed up in the tunnels surrendered to the Russian and pro-Russian forces.
The end of the fighting in Mariupol, the largest city Russia has occupied since its invasion of Ukraine on February 24, handed Russian President Vladimir Putin a rare victory following a series of setbacks in nearly three months of fighting.
In addition, Sunday’s operation in Azovstal witnessed the detonation of controlled mines and the removal of debris from the factory using military bulldozers.
Drone footage showed the factory buildings in ruins, many charred, many partially collapsed, some just a pile of debris.
The Russian soldier said: “Over the past two days, more than 100 explosive devices have been destroyed. And the work continues.”
Full control of Mariupol gives Russia control of a land route linking Crimea, which Moscow seized in 2014, with mainland Russia and parts of eastern Ukraine under the control of pro-Russian separatists.
