Surrendered Ukrainian Troops in Mariupol Taken as Russian Prisoners of War

KIEV – The fate of hundreds of fighters Ukraine who gave up after defending against the wave of attacks Russia at the steel mill Mariupol depending on the balance of conditions. There was also international concern that Russia might retaliate against the detainees.

The International Committee of the Red Cross collects personal information from hundreds of soldiers — names, dates of birth, closest relatives — and registers them as prisoners of war, as part of its role in ensuring the humane treatment of prisoners of war under the Geneva Conventions.

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Amnesty International said in a tweet that Ukrainian soldiers were now prisoners of war and therefore “should not be subjected to any form of torture or ill-treatment.”

More than 1,700 Ukrainian fighters at the Azovstal steel plant in Mariupol have surrendered since Monday, Russian authorities said. This appears to be the final stage in the nearly three-month siege of the now-destroyed port city.

At least some of the fighters were brought by Russia to former penal colonies in territory controlled by Moscow-backed separatists. Others were hospitalized, according to a separatist official. But an undisclosed number remains in the sprawling factory’s bunkers and tunnels.

In a short video message, the deputy commander of the Azov Regiment, which leads the defense of the steel plant, said he and other fighters were still inside. “An operation is in progress, the details of which I will not announce,” said Svyatoslav Palamar, as quoted by AP.

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President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he was working to ensure “that the most influential international forces are informed and, as much as possible, are involved in saving our troops.”

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