After the expulsion of soldiers from Mariupol, “Ukraine needs living heroes,” says Volodymyr Zhelensky.

Ukrainian officials announced this evening that more than 260 Ukrainian militants had been evacuated after weeks of rooting at the Azovstal metal plant in Mariupol.

In a statement released today, the Azov Brigade, which is guarding the site, looks set to announce the departure of the steelwork.

“In order to save lives, the whole Mariupol Garrison complied with the order approved by the military and relies on the support of the Ukrainian people.”Was it written in a message posted on social networks? “For 82 days, Mariupol’s bodyguards carried out orders in defiance of repulses, allowing large forces of the enemy to retreat, reorganizing the Ukrainian army, training more personnel, and obtaining greater numbers of weapons from the Allies.”Added press release, not specifying content of orders received.

The news comes just hours after Russia announced a ceasefire in Azovstal to evacuate wounded Ukrainians. The Russian Defense Ministry, for its part, has announced that it has begun work to expel wounded Ukrainian troops from the steel industry. Russian media RT showed a video of a dozen buses leaving the factory.

Reuters reports that Ukrainian soldiers from the factory have already arrived in the Russian-controlled city of Novosibirsk.

According to Ukrainian officials, about 1,000 soldiers, including 600 wounded, have been locked out of the factory since the evacuation of women, children and the elderly in late April, thanks to an operation coordinated by the United Nations and an international body. The cross is red.