Russian tanks enter Novoazovsk, Ukrainian troops retreat to Mariupol (video)
Russia has invaded Ukraine, Kiev claims. Regular Russian troops are fighting on the Ukrainian territory.
Experts expected Mariupol to be hit as it is an important strategic city – a port. However, the Ukrainian troops were gathered near Donetsk, Lugansk and Ilovaisk. As a result, there were not enough troops near Mariupol.
A column of 30 Russian tanks and 500 infantrymen entered Novoazovsk (a coastal city on the Azov Sea, population – 11 thousands) on August 27, TSN reports. Ukrainian troops and the police retreated to Mariupol and are preparing for defence there. Ukraine used to claim that Novoazovsk was under the army’s control and that there were enough forces to drive off an attack there.
Novoazovsk is blocked by Russian tanks and its inhabitants are forbidden to leave the city, Ukrainian mass media report. ‘A clean-up operation’ is appointed for August 28. Russians will be getting rid of Ukrainian fighters who may have stayed in the city in order to perform sabotage activities. Russians have captured some people and are transporting them to Russia, some sources report.
Novoazovsk has been seized by “DPR resistance tanks”, Russian mass media report. In reality, militants are just a secondary force. Moscow keeps refuting that Russian soldiers are fighting in Ukraine. Its main task is to expand the territory controlled by terrorists in Donets Basin, Ukrainian experts think.
Photo: AP, TSN
