Photo: A frame from the video
The Ukrainian command delivered additional weapons, food and even reinforcements to the nationalists defending at the Azovstal enterprise in Mariupol. This was stated by the head of the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine Kirill Budanov in an interview with The War Zone.
According to the chief of the Ukrainian military intelligence, a total of 16 helicopters made flights to Mariupol. But two helicopters were, according to him, shot down by the Russian military.
In total, 7 flights of Mi-8 helicopters of the Armed Forces of Ukraine were organized. As a rule, helicopters flew 2 at a time, and once 4 air cars flew at once. But Budanov did not provide more detailed information about when the sorties were carried out and how many lives of Ukrainian servicemen they cost.
In the end, Ukrainian nationalists and servicemen who held the defense in the basements of the Mariupol metallurgical plant “Azovstal” surrendered to Russian troops.