In a video posted on March 28, Azov senior commander Bohdan Krotevych spoke about the unraveling humanitarian crisis in Mariupol and chances of it successful pushback.

Azov battalion is holding off the violent attacks of Russian forces and remains in control of Mariupol center, said Krotevych, admitting some districts fell into the hands of the enemy.

Russians keep pummeling the city with artillery and bombs that have already destroyed ‘70-80% ‘ of Mariupol but the fierce pushback of city defenders has left the enemy crippled.

‘Every day the enemy losses ‘from a platoon to a company’ of their troops and about 4 tanks are regularly destroyed by our forces in Mariupol,’ said Krotevych.

‘The enemy tactic is to bring in tanks that destroy buildings from the top floor down to the ground one regardless we have troops there or not. Then they throw in their infantry that comes as cannon fodder. They are sustaining heavy losses in equipment and infantry, but they still have substantial resources’.

Russia has also ramped up their disinformation campaign with state propaganda TV crews coming to the city and handing out chocolate bars and sandwiches to survivors of their own bombardments that grinded down the city.

Krotevych argued the Russian army now sees Mariupol as a key logistics point after Ukrainian troops successfully targeted the seaport of Berdyansk earlier used for logistics and re-supply of the Russian troops in the eastern Ukraine.

Mariupol defense needs reinforcement to unlock the siege, said Krotevych, claiming the counteroffensive effort will require 2 or 3 battalions of 1500 troops each.

‘This operation will break the eastern group [of Russian troops] and will make it possible to reclaim Berdyansk,’ added Azov battalion chief of staff.