About 600 wounded defenders of Mariupol, 40 of whom are in very serious condition, are on the territory of the Azovstal plant blocked by the Russian occupiers, said Denys Shleha, commander of the 12th operational Brigade of the National Guard of Ukraine.

"At the moment we have about 600 wounded, and about 40 people are in a very serious condition," he said on the air of the national telethon #UArazom.

He stressed that medicines and medical instruments are "very, very lacking."

"Therefore, everyone who makes a decision and is fighting in the position now - we are fighting, we are holding on, but the situation is difficult for the wounded," Shleha added.