Battles for Azovstal underway, metallurgical giant being destroyed – Denysenko

The battles for Mariupol-based Azovstal are underway, and Russian invaders are actually destroying the metallurgical giant.

The relevant statement was made by Advisor to Ukrainian Internal Affairs Minister Vadym Denysenko during a telethon, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

“Now the battles for Azovstal are underway. According to the data we have, we can say we have lost this economic giant. Actually, one of Europe’s largest metallurgical plants is being destroyed… We must clearly realize: it is Putin’s personal order to destroy this city and, at the same time, one of his key objectives in the war. No matter how this war ends, no matter what is next, but his task is not to demilitarize Ukraine but to deindustrialize Ukraine, i.e. to make us renovate our plants for next decades after them,” Denysenko told.

In his words, some Mariupol residents managed to leave for safe regions on March 18, 2022.

“In Berdiansk, we have organized the so-called transfer point, where people can stop, receive assistance. We hope we will be able to open humanitarian corridors today as well, so that more people can leave the besieged city,” Denysenko noted.

A reminder that, on February 24, 2022, Russian President Vladimir Putin initiated a full-scale invasion of Ukraine, starting a war. Russian invaders are shelling and destroying the key infrastructure facilities, launching missile strikes on residential areas in Ukrainian cities and villages, killing civilians.

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