Margaryta and Tom Balmforth, by Margaryta Hornokondratenko

KYIV (Reuters – A Ukrainian soldier huddled in a Mariupol steelworks said that his troops would continue fighting until the end. He urged leaders around the world to help civilians as well as those trapped under Russia’s “medieval” siege.

In an interview with Reuters, Captain Sviatoslav Palmar (39), a deputy commander for Ukraine’s Azov Regiment spoke from the steelworks that serves as the last defense against the city’s defenders.

Russian forces reduced large areas of Mariupol to rubble around its vast underground complex and catacombs. Palamar and the Ukrainian contingent made a final stand.

Russian President Vladimir Putin claimed the control over the city, saying that the plant must be sealed so “not one fly” can escape.

Palamar stated, “As long we are here and holding defense…the city isn’t theirs.”

Heavy fighting continued and the area was being bombarded constantly, he said. Russian forces once sent in an infantry and tank column, along with armoured vehicles and tanks. However, the defenders overpowered it. His tactics changed constantly, he said.

“The tactic now is much like a medieval siege. Their forces are not attempting to penetrate our defensive lines, but we’re now in a tight circle. He said that they are conducting air strikes.

Palamar, a married father of one, declined to reveal details about the operations, as it could be dangerous for him and his child. Although he wouldn’t say exactly how much ammunition and food they had left behind, he said that hundreds of fighters remained.

Our resources are not infinite, and are getting less with each day of intense fighting. It’s difficult but we are going to continue fighting for our lives.

He stated that they have more than 500 injured fighters and some are in grave condition.

We don’t have enough resources to perform really complex surgery.

Russian efforts to establish a land link to the Crimean peninsula that it seizes from Ukraine are crucially impacted by Mariupol’s capture on the Sea of Azov south of industrial Donbas.

Palamar, who hails from Lviv in the west but lives in Mariupol, can’t say how many civilians work in the steelworks but says they number in the hundreds. He said that they were hiding in various bunkers next to soldiers.

Mariupol’s Azovstal plants is one of Europe’s most important metallurgical facilities. It’s a massive industrial complex with underground chambers or tunnels.

We bring food to them and monitor their health. But we cannot stay with them because the enemy might provoke and claim that they were hiding behind civilians.

On Tuesday, intense rocket fire hit a bunker housing civilians (including children) and injured an elderly man and woman.

The bearded, intensely focused figure spoke with Reuters by Zoom. According to him, he was unable to turn the camera to show his quarters on the phone call in the event that it revealed any intelligence to Russia.

Russia is accused of lying to civilians in the country, urging them to leave and then continuing to bomb the surrounding area. He demanded that international organisations such as the United Nations and Red Cross act as guarantors in order to evacuate civilians immediately.

Antonio Guterres, Secretary General of the United Nations is currently in Ukraine. He will be meeting with Volodymyr Zelenskiy, Ukrainian President, later Thursday.

Palamar stated that once civilians have been evacuated, all the injured and dead must be returned to Ukraine. Then, safe passage should be secured for the Ukrainian contingent.

He said that being taken into prison was not an option.

They’ll die in captivity and they’ll get maimed. That’s why we suggest having another party to negotiate their release from Azovstal.

As possible third parties, he mentioned Israel and Turkey.

The Ukrainian force includes the Azov Regiment and other brigades.

He said that the Azov fighters at steelworks included Russians and Bulgarians as well as a Crimean Tatar and a Greek. Jews, Catholics and other people were also among them.

According to him, his message to the world was that Russia is a threat to all of us and we should not be soft on Moscow.

“I am hopeful that the world will now realize its error… We are confident we are not only saving Ukraine, but also Poland. Lithuania. Latvia. Estonia. Moldova.