Thread by @ZimermanErik

Finally, #Zelensky has ordered, or likely more accurately been forced to accept, the surrender of the men who refuse to go on dying for his ego. As I wrote more than once, had it not been for their recent use of human shields to extend the lifespan of the #Azovstl siege, and the

https://twitter.com/ZimermanErik/status/1507193297118375947

endless begging for the world to save them (much more from Serhyi Volyna & others than #Azov's Denys "Redis" Prokopenko), then they could have come out to the salute & applause of their Russian foes. Their more recent actions were a stain on the honor of their brave stand.

Ironically, but not surprisingly, this more shameful period is when the world media has lionized & even idolized them much more. As I noted recently, this would only serve to increase the PR value of the soon-to-be POWs held by #Russia.

The fact is #Zelensky & #Ukraine had no ability nor plan to lift the #Azovstal siege. They turned their fighters into beggars, who would not go a day without pleading for world help, because their fellow fighters were not coming. #Kiev would not send them. They turned them into

common hostage takers who hid behind women & children only to extend #Zelensky's PR siege a few more weeks. A few more weeks of chances to bring on WWIII. The shameless #Eurovision became part of this lame game. But all the trendy #Ukraine supporters on their iPhones in the world

would not change the fact that only a great number of well armed, determined and very brave men, could save #Azovstal from the grip of the Russian forces that bled for months to see its fall. #Ukraine did not have these men, and if other countries did, it was not for UA & #Azov.

Other nations were not so willing to recklessly waste their fighters' lives. Not to appease the comedian in Kiev. They joined the lip service support, along with the iphone gluten free crowd. What few have grasped about this war from the get-go, is that its outcome will be

determined by the will of brave men on the ground facing off against each other. Not the Pope, and certainly not Eurovision, can do much about it. So what did this achieve? Only that more of the Ukrainian fighters died, more civilians died, war crimes & their honor was stained.

Now that the inevitable has happened, but brave men have needlessly died (on both sides), so that #Zelensky could have more time to try to start WWIII, he has finally been forced to accept #Azovstal's surrender. That it happened may surprise many, though it ought not to.

These are men who mostly believe they were abandoned and lied to by their government in Kiev (who they were not thrilled about to begin with). #Azov's Kalina publicly decried this fact, and the fiercest & most unsung warriors of the 36th Marine brigade who attempted to break out

of #Ilyich and #Mariupol echoed this indictment before their final battle. There fell the Brigade commander (who Serhyi now pretends to be).

shorturl.at/qsyE6

Undoubtedly, we will see more of this criticism in Russian interviews with some of the POWs.

Others among them were those scared to fight, break out or surrender previously (such as Serhyi Volyna). The bravest and most soldierly in the #Mariupol crowd were dead or captured already. Who are left are mostly survivors before anything. Of course most would surrender.

How many more are dead and maimed for #Zelensky's frail regime?

These fighters had done beyond their duty long ago. The main RU forces that pushed them into #Azovstal have long since redeployed. Minimal forces & artillery could now keep them in their bunkers. Their sacrifice was

for nothing more than cheap PR, for a long time now. Furthermore the PR effort will now backfire as it led everyone to believe, falsely, that #Azovstal could not fall and somehow the fighters would be rescued. Russia, in charge on the ground, didn't care too much about the PR.