Monday, the Ukrainian garrison still holding out in the massive Azovstal Iron and Steelworks plant in Mariupol surrendered.

On March 19, the Russian military issued an ultimatum that sounded ominous. The Mariupol defenders were given a matter of hours to surrender the city, lay down their arms, and accept a Russian guarantee of “safe passage” out of the city or the garrison, which Moscow termed “nationalists,” “foreign mercenaries,” and “bandits,” would face a “military tribunal.” The reason for the Russian action was that Mariupol had resisted Russian assaults for over three weeks, and some 20 Russian battalion tactical groups (BTGs) that were desperately needed for other operations were bogged down in street fighting (Mariupol Defenders Reject Russian Demand for Surrender Setting up the Largest Siege of a City Since WWII).

After a siege of nearly three months, the garrison was forced into a network of tunnels and bunkers built to withstand a nuclear attack. They were cut off, running out of food and ammunition, and no longer had the means to treat their wounded.

As the scene grew grimmer in the underground complex–surgery and amputations were performed without anesthesia and antibiotics–several attempts were made to negotiate a way out. The Turks, Red Cross, and the Vatican all attempted to negotiate safe passage with a guarantee of internment until the war was over, but to no avail. Finally, the weight of wounded comrades and the lack of the means to resist

A video of Ukrainian combatants leaving the Azovstal plant in Mariupol; most of them carrying their wounded brothers in arms on stretchers.

47.112534, 37.606209https://t.co/f55WDEzMH0 pic.twitter.com/O2O3RwHwwh

— Status-6 (@Archer83Able) May 17, 2022

Ukrainian surrenders of Azovstal pic.twitter.com/jDg9dbrDWP

— spook (@spook_info) May 17, 2022

More footage from Ukrainian POWs leaving the Azovstal plant in Mariupol pic.twitter.com/XoFCDEDiSE

— spook (@spook_info) May 17, 2022

❗️A minimum of 7 buses with the Ukrainian military are now leaving Azovstal – Reuters. pic.twitter.com/i1P7KKtQ1w

— ТРУХА⚡️English (@TpyxaNews) May 17, 2022

A convoy with Ukrainian POWs from Mariupol being escorted by a Russian Mil Mi-24/35 gunship. pic.twitter.com/sOUrnQnbeK

— Status-6 (@Archer83Able) May 17, 2022

Ukrainian POWs from Azovstal arrived in occupied Olenivka, Donetsk oblast.
😧 pic.twitter.com/gzYX7of6zM

— 𝔗𝔥𝔢 𝔇𝔢𝔞𝔡 𝔇𝔦𝔰𝔱𝔯𝔦𝔠𝔱 (@TheDeadDistrict) May 17, 2022

Some two hundred wounded Ukrainian prisoners were taken to a hospital in Russian-occupied Donetsk. The remainder were sent to a facility in Olenivka. The terms of the surrender stipulate that they will be exchanged for an equal number of Russian prisoners.

Unfortunately, the men were forced to surrender to Russians. If Russian officers were described by General George Patton as “giv[ing] the appearance of recently civilized Mongolian bandits,” the Russian soldiery is establishing a reputation as brutal, undisciplined, and devoid of honor. If anything, their politicians are worse. Already, the groundwork is being laid to renege on the prisoner exchange agreement.

Russian Investigative Committee said it will question Azov soldiers "who surrendered"

Ukraine said it has agreed for evacuation from Azovstal in exchange for captured Russians. It remains unclear how this is ensured.🇺🇦officials said details will be laterhttps://t.co/hBAS0Z89r6

— Euromaidan Press (@EuromaidanPress) May 17, 2022

Duma Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin says that Azov Battalion members are war criminals who should not be involved in prisoner swaps

Russia's impending designation of the Azov Battalion as a terrorist group would legally ensconce this policy

— Samuel Ramani (@SamRamani2) May 17, 2022

⚡️Russian parliament will consider a ban on exchanging Azov POWs for captured Russian soldiers, Russian state-controlled RIA Novosti reported.

On May 26, the Russian Supreme Court will consider recognizing the Azov regiment as a terrorist organization.

— The Kyiv Independent (@KyivIndependent) May 17, 2022

Dmitry Peskov claims that Azovstal steel fighters in Mariupol will be treated humanely

Calls for their execution from the Duma suggests otherwise

— Samuel Ramani (@SamRamani2) May 17, 2022

There is little chance that any of the men who surrendered will live through the experience. They cost the Russians too much in time and casualties.

The men holding Mariupol did all that could be reasonably expected. These men may have turned the tide of the war in Southern Ukraine by keeping 20,000 enemy soldiers, that is, one-sixth of all Russian troops in Ukraine, tied up for over a month. The Russian units freed up by this surrender suffered heavy losses and will need an extensive rebuilding period to regain combat effectiveness.