Mariupol, a city in southern Ukraine, was taken by the Russians on May 20. The last Ukrainian fighters defending the city had to surrender to the enemy. Since then, their relatives have not heard from them.
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They are called Tetiana, Sandra, Olena or Natalia. They are wives or sisters of the fighters who defended Mariupol. The martyr city in southern Ukraine, on the shores of the Sea of Azov, was completely taken by the Russians on May 20. The last fighters, those who held the Azovstal factory, the last pocket of resistance, then laid down their arms and surrendered to the Russian forces. Ten days later, their relatives have no news. “We were asked to shut up so as not to make the situation worse, but we can’t take it anymore”they explained Monday, May 30 at a press conference in kyiv to alert the international community.
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The relatives of the Mariupol fighters therefore decided to break the silence. “Don’t forget them. I beg you to talk about them”urges Tetiana. “They are our heroes. They only surrendered when the government ordered them to.” She explains that they don’t even know where Russia has taken their relatives. “Mour brother is somewhere but I don’t know where or in what state”also deplores Sandra, sister of the vice-commander of the Azov Battalion.
“We just hope that the Russians will treat them according to the Geneva convention, like we do with their prisoners.”
Sandra, sister of the deputy commander of the Azov battalionat franceinfo
Natalia’s husband also belongs to the Azov battalion, to which Russia promises capital punishment. “I don’t know if he is still alive, if he was tortured or if he is being tortured right now”, she explains. The last time she spoke to him was May 17. All these women are appealing to the Red Cross, which has so far been unable to give them any information about their relatives.