Second, third, and fifth presidents Leonid Kuchma, Viktor Yushchenko, and Petro Poroshenko appealed to world leaders to help save civilian and military lives from the Azovstal plant in Mariupol.
This is evidenced by a letter published by Petro Poroshenko.
"We appeal to the leaders of the countries of the world. To the member states of the European Union, the United States of America and Canada, China, Turkey and others, as well as to the UN.
We ask with all available diplomatic resources to help the Ukrainian authorities to save the lives of civilians and military Ukrainians, whom on the territory of the Azovstal plant Russia by order of Putin is trying to destroy by barbaric methods.
Such shocking brutality of the Rashists makes no military sense whatsoever. The city of Mariupol is almost completely destroyed by the Russian army, which is now trying to cover up the traces of its crimes.
The extraordinary courage and heroism of the Ukrainian soldiers defending the city have stunned not only Ukraine, but the entire world. The Azov battalion, our marines, our border guards have already made history because their military feat is unprecedented. And these are our national heroes, selfless, brave, patriotic.
But now it is no longer a question of equal or unequal combat. In full view of the world, there is an attempt at bloody revenge and reprisals by Russians against those who, though surrounded, have defeated them by strength of spirit and willpower," the text of the letter itself says.
Poroshenko invited the authorities to join the process of negotiations on the extradition of Azovstal defenders alongside international and Ukrainian representatives of the authorities and to personally participate in the implementation of this procedure.
