Ukrainian servicemen in the besieged Mariupol (Donetsk region) are experiencing a shortage of equipment, according to the Telegram channel of the National Corps on Wednesday, citing commander of the second battalion of the Azov Special Operation Forces, Kyiv regiment Dmytro Kukharchuk.

"Unfortunately, all our attempts to reach out to the top leadership so that we are allowed to organize an operation to de-blockade Mariupol remain only attempts. We have motivated people who are ready to participate in this operation, but, unfortunately, we do not have enough equipment, no aviation support, which does not allow us today to somehow influence the situation," Kukharchuk said on the air of Apostrophe TV.

According to the battalion commander, the Azov Regiment defends Mariupol "beyond human capabilities, does it in a way that no one else in the world could do it."

Kukharchuk also noted that the defenders of Mariupol are bearing the brunt of Russian forces, for the enemy forces around the encircled city outnumber ours by 14 times. According to him, if this group of invaders had not been involved in Mariupol, then, of course, it would have been transferred to other directions - Mykolaiv, Kharkiv, Dnipro or Zaporizhia.

"In addition to the fact that the defenders of Mariupol hold back the enemy and defend the city, they perform an important strategic task and do not allow the enemy to go further," Kukharchuk said.