March 17th, Kyiv: Crowds gather to demand the release of the Ukrainian soldiers who held out a last ditch defence of the Azovstal Steel and Ironworks, urging the world to recognize their sacrifice and facilitate their return home.

In a final stand at the Azovstal Steel and Ironworks plant, nearly 2,500 Ukrainian soldiers fought against an 86-day siege. Their courageous resistance engaged around 12,000 Russian troops, tying up significant russian military assets, and effectively slowing the invasion across Ukraine. Alongside the soldiers, a substantial civilian population sought refuge within the plant's underground tunnels and bunkers, escaping the Russian devastation of Mariupol, yet facing severe shortages of food and medicine and constant aerial and artillery bombardment. As the weeks passed, the surviving civilians were gradually evacuated through internationally negotiated corridors, even as the battle raged on and the soldiers remained.

Most Ukrainian servicemen braced for a fight to the death to defend the plant. Yet, after 86 days, the Ukrainian troops received orders to lay down their arms and relinquish control of the compound. They were taken into Russian captivity, a year on, many of these soldiers remain in captivity, enduring extremely harsh conditions. #kyiv #ukraine #azovstal