Operation to rescue Azovstal defenders will continue until they are home - Malyar

The Ukrainian First Deputy Defense Minister Anna Malyar shared the update, Suspilne reports.

"Mariupol defenders are a number of units, they have completely fulfilled their combat mission. They prevented Russian forces' transfer of about 20,000 soldiers into Ukraine. Thus they managed to prevent the encirclement of the Ukrainian Armed Forces," she said.

The military operation of Azovstal liberation will last until their return home.

"We can say that the negotiation process continues and the operation itself is also underway," Malyar noted.

The sensitivity of the operation doesn't allow the Ukrainian government to share more details.