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Serhiy Volyna: Ukraine marine says 'facing our last days, if not hours' in Mariupol, begs for help

The marine commander takes to Facebook to urge help for the besieged city, hours after an interview with western media on life in Mariupol
UPDATED APR 20, 2022
The remains of a home in Mariupol (Twitter) with an insert of Major Serhiy Volyna (Serhiy Volyna/Facebook)
The remains of a home in Mariupol (Twitter) with an insert of Major Serhiy Volyna (Serhiy Volyna/Facebook)

Mariupol is "facing our last days, if not hours," according to comments by Major Serhiy Volyna. The Ukrainian Marine is part of the last defensive stand against Russia in the besieged city, and took to Facebook on April 19, 2022, to share his plight. Trapped from all sides, Mariupol could become the first Ukrainian city to fall into Russian hands, after over 50 days of bloody and brutal fighting.

The video comes just a week after Ukraine claimed Russia used chemical agents, in a last-ditch effort to take the city. While many Ukrainian cities have seen brutal fighting and destruction, Mariupol remains one of the worst humanitarian disasters of Russia's invasion. Over 20,000 civilians have been killed in Mariupol alone, with much of the violence attributed to Colonel-General Mikhail Mizintsev, i.e "the butcher of Mariupol". In mid-March, Ukraine also claimed those who survived are being forced into Nazi-style concentration camps

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Despite the situation, the brave defenders have resisted for over 50 days, while handing Russia heavy losses both in terms of munitions and men. However, Russian President Vladimir Putin could finally have something to boast about, with the city expected to fall any day now, as Ukrainian troops run out of weapons, food, and water. That plight was captured best by Major Volyna.

Major Serhiy Volyna posts a selfie on April 18, 2022, from Mariupol, Ukraine. (Serhiy Volyna/Facebook)

Who is Major Serhiy Volyna?

Volyna currently serves as the commander of the 36th Separate Marine Brigade and has been at the forefront of Mariupol's response. His Facebook page is pretty bare and does not reveal much about him. Based on the photos, it appears he is married and a father to a young son. However, happy family photos have since been replaced by some photos from the war, including one with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. 

Since the war broke out, Volyna has used his Facebook account to draw public attention to the situation in the city. In April, he also wrote a letter to Pope Francis, urging him to help save Mariupol. In the letter, he called the city "hell on Earth", telling the Pope, "evacuate people and save their lives from Satan, who wants to burn all living creatures." On April 19, The Washington Post published an interview with Volyna. 

Major Serhiy Volyna with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. (Serhiy Volyna/Facebook)

In the interview, the Major said, "It’s in the basement where people just rot. There is no medication." He added, "We very much hope that President Biden will hear us and help resolve our situation." Volyna is currently fighting as part of the last remaining Ukrainian resistance pocket, from the Azovstal Iron and Steel Works plant in Mariupol. Not only is the plant providing shelter for Volyna and his troops, but also for the few remaining civilians who have made it out alive. 

Hours after the interview aired, Volyna took to Facebook to post a rather grim message. "This is our address to the world. This could be our last message," he began. He then said, "we might only have a few days or even hours remaining," noting "the enemy is outnumbering us 10 to one." Volyna then appealed to world leaders to "use the procedure of extraction and take us to the territory of a third-party state." He tagged US President Joe Biden, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, and Turkish President Recap Tayyip Erdogan in the post.



 

Hours before uploading that video, he also posted "There are two options for salvation." The first was a "sharp military operation", which he acknowledged was "difficult and risky." The second "is a political decision", which he explained would involve "the creation of international security control of the release of the military garrison and civilians." Its part of a long series of messages Volyna has been posting, urging for help before Mariupol's residents suffer a fate worse than that of Bucha. 

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