A year after Mariupol’s fall, Azovstal survivor recalls surrender with pain and a sense of purpose
A Mariupol police officer who was among the last defenders to surrender from the Azovstal steel mill is among those to mark a year since they surrendered on orders of the Ukrainian president
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Mikhailo Vershinin was a shadow of the burly Mariupol policeman he was when he emerged after four months in Russian captivity.
The head of Mariupol’s Police Patrol, he was among hundreds to surrender from the Russian siege of the Azovstal steel mill on the orders of the Ukrainian president a year ago and was close to death on the day he was exchanged for Russian prisoners of war.
He experienced first-hand the day the final square of the besieged city fell and now recalls it with both deep sadness, but a sense of purpose for Ukraine’s future.
The air strikes had been relentless for weeks, but the skies fell silent while Russian and Ukrainian officers negotiated terms of surrender. At the time, Vershinin said, it seemed like the only chance for both the men and women with him underground – and for Mariupol.
Azovstal’s last stand also became a rallying point for many countries hesitating about support for Ukraine.
“Beginning with Mariupol, the world started to wake up in understanding what’s going on,” he said. “We knew perfectly well that we locked on ourselves lots of Russian forces. We were like a bone in the throat of Russia.”
The group hoped for reinforcements that never came, then finally surrendered.
But Russia failed to keep its promises to treat the prisoners of war under the rules of the Geneva Convention. Torture, hunger, and illness stalked the group. More than 700 remain in captivity: winning their release has been a priority for the Ukrainian government, and for Vershinin, who was in a group exchanged for Russian prisoners of war last fall.
The men and women who fought to the last at Azovstal are heroes and martyrs across Ukraine, their faces on posters and giant banners.
At the time, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy explained the order to surrender because “Ukraine needs Ukrainian heroes to be alive. It’s our principle.”
But Vershinin said ill-treatment was routine as their Russian captors tried to turn men against each other and starve them into submission.
“Now I can say this: If we knew what awaited us in prison, many people would not go, would not surrender.”