Russia-Ukraine Flash Report for 5-16-22 14:45 PDT - Azovstal Prisoner Swap

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has released an official statement on the situation at Azovstal. This is it - unedited.

MARIUPOL GARNIZON PERFORMED THE BATTLE TASK

The Higher Military Command was ordered to commanders of units based on Azovstal to save the lives of personnel.

The operation to rescue blocked in the territory of the Ukrainian defender's factory continues.

The evacuation of 53 seriously wounded soldiers has begun. They were delivered to a medical institution in Novoazovsk. Another 211 defenders through the humanitarian corridor were evacuated to olenívka with further return of them to the controlled Ukrainian territory through the exchange procedure.

Measures to rescue defenders who remain in the territory of "Azovstalí", are ongoing.

Mariupol defenders are heroes of our time. They are forever in history. This is a separate squad of Azov, 12th Brigade of the National Guard of Ukraine, 36th separate marine brigade, border guards, police officers, volunteers, territorial defense forces Mariupol.

Maintaining their positions at Azovstal, they did not allow the opponent to shift the grouping of up to 17 battalion tactical groups (about 20,000 personnel) to other directions. Thereby hindered the implementation of the plan for the rapid capture of Zaporizhzhia, to exit the administrative border of Donetsk and Zaporizhzhia regions, and to create conditions for the environment of the JFO group.

Forging the enemy's core forces around Mariupol has given us the opportunity to prepare and create the defensive frontiers on which our troops are still present today and give a decent counterpoint to the aggressor. We got the critically needed time to build reserves, regroup forces, and get help from partners.

The most important joint task of all Ukraine and the whole world is to save the lives of Mariupol defenders.

We will fight for you on all fronts as devotedly as you defend the country!

What Else Do We Know?

Reuters and independent observers have documented the transfer. Five buses have arrived at the hospital in Novoazovsk. The facility is 38 kilometers east of the center of Azovstal in Mariupol, and 12 kilometers east of the "filtration camp" at Bezimenne. 

The 211 that were brought to Olenívka are likely going to be detained at the infamous "filtration camp" located 5.5 kilometers outside the city, next to Molodizhne.

The statement from President Zelenskyy explicitly states that 211 soldiers will be part of a prisoner transfer. There was no information provided on what will happen to the 53 at Novoazovsk.

ASSESSMENT

We are assuming that the Ukrainian government operated in the best possible interest of all parties involved. It is likely that some of the wounded are incapable of traveling up to 200 kilometers by hospital bus in bunks to Ukrainian territory. We are concerned that Ukraine agreed to a temporary transfer to Olenívka given its status and reputation. It may be possible that the marines being transferred will be held in better conditions.

There are still hundreds of defenders at Azovstal and the fight continues.

That's what we know.