Denys Prokopenko posted the photo of negotiations in besieged Mariupol

Source: Denys Prokopenko

On May 20, the lieutenant colonel of the National Guard of Ukraine, the commander of the 12th special brigade “Azov” Denys Prokopenko, for the first time published a photo from the negotiations during the battles for Mariupol.

The photo was taken in May, 2022, even before the defenders were ordered to leave the territory of the “Azovstal” plant.

On May 20, 2022, to save the lives of Ukrainian soldiers, president Zelensky ordered to stop the defense of Mariupol and to withdraw from the territory of “Azovstal”.

As a result of difficult negotiations with the Russian side, agreements were reached regarding the evacuation of civilians from the Azovstal plant. Thus, hundreds of people, residents of Mariupol, who found shelter in the territory of the plant, were saved.

All the civilians who were hiding from the enemy bombardment in Azovstal remained alive.The last civilian left the territory of the plant on May 7, 2022.

Even after that, the Mariupol garrison continued to defend the plant until the corresponding order of the higher command.

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