4 years ago, the defense of the city of Mariupol ended - one of the most heroic and tragic pages of Ukrainian resistance to russian aggression. This battle lasted 86 days (February 24 - May 20, 2022), 82 of which the Ukrainian defenders of the city fought in complete encirclement. Here the russians committed terrible war crimes - causing a humanitarian catastrophe and destroying tens of thousands of civilians.

Mariupol - a large city, industrial center and port on the Sea of Azov - was very close to the territories of Donbas, which the russians captured back in 2014. This city symbolized a free and prosperous Ukrainian Donbas. Therefore, from the first hours of the full-scale invasion, Mariupol became a priority target for the russians. Having a significant advantage in manpower and equipment, complete domination in the sky and at sea, the invaders tried to seize the city from the east.

But the plan for a quick assault in the first days of the invasion failed. Then the russian command redirected columns of armored vehicles that were heading to Zaporizhia to Mariupol. The blockaded city attracted large forces of the invaders. They took Mariupol into a siege ring and began shelling and bombing the city.

During the siege, russian aviation carried out up to 100 strikes on the city per day. Immediately, the russians targeted the energy infrastructure and hit firefighting equipment. On March 16, a russian plane dropped a powerful bomb on the building of the drama theater, where about 1,200 civilians were hiding from the shelling. Approximately half of these people died. The invaders were not stopped even by the fact that “CHILDREN” was written in large letters in front of the theater. The russians also attacked hospitals that were overflowing with wounded people, and even a maternity hospital.

According to the Mariupol City Hall, about 90% of the city’s buildings were destroyed or damaged as a result of russian shelling. According to various estimates, from 25 to 75 thousand civilians died. In fact, the russians destroyed a large, thriving city, which by February 24, 2022 had a population of about 450 thousand. Thousands of Mariupol residents passed through russian filtration camps, where they were subjected to abuse.

Fierce street fighting lasted for more than two months. The center and symbol of the city’s defense was the large Azovstal metallurgical plant, which had large dungeons. In support of the surrounded defenders of Mariupol, an airlift was organized in March-April. Facing mortal danger, Ukrainian helicopter crews flew to the surrounded city - delivering ammunition and medicine to the defenders, evacuating the wounded. A total of seven such raids were carried out, in which 16 helicopters were involved.

Thousands of russian invaders died in the battles for the city, including a general - division commander and a captain of the 1st rank - deputy commander of the russian Black Sea fleet, who drove the marines into battle. The russians also lost more than a hundred units of armored vehicles, including 78 tanks, 4 aircraft and 1 landing craft.

By the end of April, the defense ring had shrunk to the territory of the Azovstal plant, which had been converted into a fortress. Starting on May 3, the russians storm Azovstal, but the fortress-like plant holds out. Having suffered heavy losses, the russians subject Azovstal to massive artillery fire and unprecedented air attacks. Heavy air bombs pierce the vaults of two bunkers, one of which housed a hospital. As a result, several dozen soldiers and medics die.

The defenders of Azovstal are running out of ammunition, and the medics are running out of medicine and painkillers. About 600 wounded are in unsanitary conditions, without medicine, water, or food. In such conditions, the higher military-political leadership of Ukraine ordered the Mariupol garrison to save the lives of its personnel. The garrison ceases resistance, and on May 20, the withdrawal of the defenders from Azovstal is complete.

The heroic garrison of Mariupol honorably fulfilled its tasks. For almost three months, the city's defenders held off significant enemy forces. Thanks to them, Ukraine gained critical time to build up reserves, regroup forces, and receive foreign aid. The heroic defense of Mariupol buried the russians' plans for a quick victory.