Secret negotiations ended the siege of Azovstal

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In the spring, the Russians laid siege to the Azov steel plant in Mariupol for weeks. The symbol of resistance frustrated Kremlin chief Vladimir Putin (70). “Close the industrial area so that not even a fly can escape,” Putin ordered his Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu (67) on Russian TV at the time.

As Putin tightened the noose, a small group began secret negotiations to end the siege. Involved were two of Putin’s top generals and a Ukrainian MP who had once served as a Soviet paratrooper.

Oleksandr Kovalov (55), who mediated for the Ukrainian side, has now revealed details of the secret talks to CNN. He claims he helped “persuade the other side that rescuing children, women and the injured in particular will be an act of common sense, an act of humanism.”

That’s how Kovalov brokered the deal

During the days of the siege, the industrial complex, which housed some 2,600 fighters and civilians, was bombarded non-stop. In desolate conditions, the soldiers and civilians huddled underground. The question many asked: will I ever get out of here alive? This is where Kovalov came into play. Since the beginning of the war, his goal has been to prevent further bloodshed. “Not all people want war,” he tells CNN.

The politician used an FSB contact to initiate negotiations. At the same time, he presented his plan to Kyrylo Budanov (37), the head of the Ukrainian secret service. Budanov allowed the trip.

Kovalov went to Mariupol – and successfully negotiated there. In early May, the United Nations and the International Red Cross managed to evacuate hundreds of civilians from Azovstal. On May 7, Ukraine’s Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vershchuk, 43, said “all women, children and the elderly” had been safely removed from the steel mill.

But the soldiers stayed and the Russian bombardment continued. The next breakthrough came on May 16. Kovalov is back at the negotiating table. Russia promised a way out for the Azovstal fighters.

Russia sets conditions

The terms: the Ukrainians would stop fighting, give up work, and be taken into Russian custody. “The most important thing in these negotiations is to save the lives of our fighters, our heroes, as our president said, take every opportunity to save our people,” Kovalov said. However, his success has a stale aftertaste: the Azovstal fighters are still prisoners of war.

The Russian generals involved in the negotiations are said to be Lieutenant General Vladimir Alekseyev, deputy chief of GRU military intelligence, and Major General Alexander Zorin. Alexeyev was sanctioned by the US in 2016. He is said to be behind cyber activities aimed at undermining American democracy. The EU and the UK also imposed sanctions on him in 2019. It was about the poisoning of former Russian secret service officer Sergei Skripal (68) in England.

Zorin is best known for his role as Putin’s envoy to Syria. He played an active role in talks between the regime of President Bashar al-Assad (57) and the opposition and rebel groups in the country.

The deployment of the two military leaders demonstrates the importance Putin attached to Azovstal. The conquest of Mariupol is considered one of the greatest Russian victories since the beginning of the Russian invasion. Putin’s long-awaited dream of a land bridge between Crimea and Russia is therefore a possibility. (nad)

Source: Blick