For almost three months, thousands of Ukrainian soldiers opposed Russian attacks at bunkers and tunnels at Azovstal steel factories, becoming a symbol of resistance to Russian invasion.
Before Russia began its full-scale invasion on February 24, 2022, about half a million people lived in Mariupol, the largest Ukrainian city, the largest Ukrainian city, the main port serving industry and agriculture in the Azov Sea and eastern Ukraine.
Russia was about to occupy Mariupol when it first invaded Ukraine in 2014. The city was under Russian control for two months before the Ukrainian forces regained it.
Ten years later, Moscow again attacked Mariupol, attempting to establish a corridor of land between the unilaterally annexed Crimea and the occupied territory in eastern Ukraine.
Anatolii Basenko joined the “Dnipro-1” volunteer battalion in 2014, defending her hometown of Donetsk region when Russia first invaded Ukraine.
Seven years later he was discharged from the hospital and moved to Poland. However, when the full-scale invasion began, he returned to protect his country. “I made the final decision after hearing from my family about the attack on Kiev,” Besenko told Euroneus.
He had just come home from his night shift on February 24th.
The war was already furious. The rocket was flying through Kiev, and the entire country was under attack.
“I said, ‘I understand,’ I hung up the phone, got work, handed over the notification, bought a bus ticket,” Basenko recalls.
Two days later he arrived in Kiev, joined the Azov forces and was given weapons. “The challenge was to protect the capital from the Russian army,” he explained.
At the same time, Basenko followed the dramatic development of Mariupol. Russia was mercilessly attacking the cities. Thousands of civilians were evacuated to the basement for weeks, without food or water.
“I kept saying they needed to break the lockdown, it needed help, something has to be done,” Basenko recalled. Stuck in Kiev without a role, he couldn’t stand sitting vaguely.
Then the phone came and everything happened quickly. Interviews, trips to Dnipro, helicopter flights to Maripol.
“Before the flight they warned us, but for Basenko there was no doubt. He just couldn’t wait and see.
Ukrainian defence intelligence organized a bold mission to Azovstal in assault on helicopters.
There were seven flights, including over a dozen Army MI-8 helicopters. They had to fly at the minimum height below the tree line without being detected and shot by the aviation jargon “Earth Nap.”
Thanks to the helicopter mission, the Ukrainian army evacuated 64 wounded people and delivered 30 tons of cargo. During surgery, three were lost to a severe enemy aircraft fire, but the mission was completed.
Ukraine also sent reinforcements: 72 volunteers will support Mariupol’s defense, including Basenko.
He still remembers an amazingly positive vibe among his comrades. The people of Maripol can feel that other countries have not forgotten them, he said. “It gave people the courage to see Kiev soldiers flying, despite all they fully knew they would probably not get it back,” he added.
Among the defenders was Vladyslav Zhayvoronok, a young fighter jet of the Azov regiment. At the end of March, he and his troops moved to Azovstal. Initially, Steelworks served as a hub for rest, supply, and reorganization, but soon became its last.
The radio project was launched with the Underground Bunker (Bunker.fm). This allowed people inside to stay connected and discuss missions despite the blackout of information.
“The last two weeks of defending Mariupol and Azovustal seemed strangely easy to me,” Zhayvoronok said.
“I had already accepted my death and wanted to do my duty and die. It’s just as easy. Soldiers will understand,” he recalls.
“When you realize that this is it, you know that over half of your friends are dead, so you then know – and you feel completely calm.”
“I put my best friend’s body in a black bag and looked at me. I was totally calm. I knew so it was him today. Tomorrow will be me.
Retreat to Azovstal
During the hideout to Azovstal, Basenko’s troops attempted to cross the Kalmius River using improvised rafts. But not everyone has reached the other side.
Of the four rafts, only three reached their destination, and a group of Basenko fired. On April 15th, he was seriously injured.
A hand-ren bullet exploded right next to him, tearing his left foot. His fellow soldiers quickly applied tourniquets.
Of the 10 soldiers in his group, four were injured, and three were killed, with four not injured. Survivors arrived at the compounds of Azovstal later that night.
Basenko’s first question for Medic was, “When will they amputate my leg?”
The cutting took place the following morning at dawn. Due to the onset of infection and kidney failure, the second surgery continued. For almost a week he lay flat on his back, barely able to move.
He still lives today, he calls miracles. “I don’t know where the strength came from,” Besenko said. “It’s just a miracle. A simple miracle.”
Zhayvoronok was also seriously injured when his group was attacked by anti-tank missiles.
“I lost my leg, temporarily lost my eyesight with one eye, and suffered multiple rap shotgun injuries, but they couldn’t kill me,” Zhayvoronok told Euronows.
“Medic, Nina refused to put my body in her body bag. She decided to continue trying to bring me back. It worked. So I’m alive.”
On May 16, 2022, the Azovstal defender was ordered to surrender. Basenko was taken to Russian prisoners with the rest.
At the time, the Ukrainian government pledged to do “everything needed” to save an unknown number of soldiers. However, their fate remained uncertain at first. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov refused to say whether prisoners would be treated as prisoners or criminals.
About six weeks later, on June 29th, Basenko was released in a prisoner exchange. “I was happy to go home and see my loved ones, my family,” he recalled. “That’s why I felt euphoric.”
Thousands of Ukrainian soldiers remained in Russian prisoners
But not everyone was lucky. The 485 Azovstal defenders have been released in POW exchanges since 2022, with around 850 remaining in Russian prisons. Thousands of more Ukrainian soldiers and civilians are still in captivity in Russia.
Ukrainian prosecutors said nine of the 10 Ukrainian prisoners were subject to torture and abuse.
That’s an issue that Basenko feels too careful in the West. “The world needs to know that Russia is actually dealing with Ukrainian prisoners. I don’t think the West fully understands the crimes Russia is committing,” he said.
Basenko explains that his experience did not allow him to be cynical or discouraged. “It’s not as bad as it looks at times. We’ve gotten worse, which is why we don’t have the right to give up or continue as if nothing happened. We have to fight for those still in captivity.
And he only has the kindest words to his fellow countrymen who fought in the standoffs of Azovstal.
“I want people to know that the boys and girls who defended the city have risked their lives, their most valuable possessions, so that there is peace in Ukraine and that the war would not reach other major cities. That means sacrifices for others.”
“Mariupol has always remained a beautiful and picturesque city in my mind. One day, I would like to return to Mariupol under the flag of Ukrainian,” concluded Besenko.
