The commander of the “Azov” [volunteer battalion] is concerned that the new encirclement near Mariupol could be even worse than [the August encirclement] near Іlovaisk.
Russian army and Russian-backed terrorists will more likely strike Berdiansk than Mariupol, Andriy Bіletskyi, the commander of the “Azov” battalion told Channel 5 TV. He expressed certainty that the occupiers will try to encircle the South group of the Ukrainian army and cut it off from other army units.
“There has been an aggravation of the situation and an increase in military activity in Novoazovsk area over the last few days. There are casualties amoung marines and our fighters. I assume that the enemy will not attack Mariupol (it was very painful for the enemy last time), but rather Berdiansk. This will cut off the Mariupol army group. We could have an encirclement worse than in Ilovaisk,” said Bіletskyi.
Translation by Dr. Vitalii Usenko, MD, MBA, expert of the Center of Military-Political Studies in the sphere of psychology of communications and by Dmytro Usenko, student at Rotman School of Management, University of Toronto
