A Ukrainian soldier holed up in the Azovstal steel plant in Mariupol has pleaded for the West to rescue everyone trapped in the complex - as the allied forces did at Dunkirk in the famous Second World War operation.
Commander Serhiy Volyna, who is among Ukrainian marines defending the city from Russian advances, urged Western leaders to 'save the garrison of Mariupol' and 'carry out an extraction to rescue' hundreds of civilians and soldiers trapped in the steel plant.
Volyna compared the steps needed to save those in Mariupol to 'Operation Dynamo', where an estimated 338,000 Allied troops were rescued from beaches in Dunkirk, northern France, in 1940 after being bombarded by German troops.
Volyna said there are more than 600 injured Ukrainian soldiers and hundreds of civilians including children in the steel plant, the last Ukrainian pocket of resistance in the strategic port city.
He said the situation in the steel plant, which was under a renewed attack by Russian forces on Wednesday, is dire with no medicine to help the injured and not enough water and food for those trapped there.
Volyna, from the 36th Separate Marine Brigade, urged world leaders to help the civilians - including women and children - and Ukrainian soldiers to flee and take them to safety.
The desperate plea comes as an aide to the mayor of Mariupol said Russian forces had renewed their attacks on the Azovstal steel plant. No agreements had been reached on trying to evacuate civilians from Mariupol on Wednesday.
Commander Serhiy Volyna, who is among Ukrainian marines defending the city from Russian advances, urged Western leaders to 'save the garrison of Mariupol' and 'carry out an extraction to rescue' hundreds of civilians and soldiers trapped in the steel plant
The desperate plea comes as an aide to the mayor of Mariupol said Russian forces had renewed their attacks on the Azovstal steel plant. Pictured: Smoke rises above the Azovstal Iron and Steel Works in Mariupol on April 25
Volyna compared the steps needed to save those in Mariupol to 'Operation Dynamo', where an estimated 338,000 Allied troops were rescued from beaches in Dunkirk, northern France, in 1940 after being bombarded by German troops. Pictured: Thousands of soldiers line up to be evacuated from Dunkirk in May 1940
Volyna said in a video: 'There are more than 600 injured guys in our group in various conditions. They really need medical help. The conditions here are not adequate, and there are no medicines, nor personnel, who could help them.
'We also have injured civilians, who we're trying to help as best we can. There are also hundreds of civilians here and dozens of children. There are lots of handicapped people here, a lot of old people.
'It's a very difficult situation. There is a major problem with water food, various other obstacles, a lack of troops and ammunition.'
Volyna said he has previously pleaded with diplomats, leaders around the world and Pope Francis to help them evacuate from Mariupol.
He added: 'I shouted as loud as I could to have our cause heard and to get them to apply 'procedures'. Many say they don't understand what these procedures are.'
Volyna compared the desperately needed evacuation to the evacuation of around 340,000 Allied soldiers that were stranded on the beaches of Dunkirk between May 27 and June 4, 1940 after the Nazis pummelled them with artillery.
The daring rescue mission saw Navy personnel and civilians travel from Britain in boats of all kinds to rescue the soldiers. The little ships were meant to bring soldiers to the larger ships, but some ended up ferrying people all the way back to England
Volyna said: 'As an example, I want to point to the rescue operation in 1940 in WWII. The allies, Great Britain and France, ended up on the French coast surrounded by German troops, and Hitler personally commanded the attack to be halted to allow an allied evacuation operation to be prepared.
'More than 300,000 people were saved in this evacuation, which was carried out as quickly as possible with all manner of ships and civilian boats.
'They saved people – civilians and soldiers – and other people and organisations, to whom it really mattered.'
Wrecked cars are seen in the city of Mariupol on April 26 as Russia continues to bombard the city
He added: 'Today our main message is: Save the garrison of Mariupol, carry out an extraction to rescue us.
'Today is 1940 – today is 2022. People here are going to die, the wounded will die and the living will die in battle.
'Civilians are dying here with us in bunkers, houses, high-rises, where they are just being shot and blown up by people who may or may not even know they are there.
'This is a huge problem. So many people died in this city. The city is basically wiped off the face of the earth. We are counting on you. Thank you.'
Russian forces were continuing to pound the steel works on Wednesday, with Petro Andryushchenko, an aide to the city mayor, saying there had been no let-up in air strikes on the Azovstal plant despite Russian President Vladimir Putin saying there was no need to storm it after declaring victory in Mariupo
'Air attacks on Azovstal are not subsiding. No ceasefire, but attempts to storm again and again. Despite the statements (by Putin),' Andryushchenko wrote on the Telegram messaging app.
'At the same time, street fighting continues again in the sector between the Azovstal plant's management (buildings) to the street.'
Local officials say much of Mariupol has been destroyed in weeks of Russian bombardment and siege since Russian forces invaded Ukraine on
