Ukraine war: Commander in besieged Mariupol steel works asks Elon Musk for help

A Ukrainian commander among the many fighters besieged by Russian forces within the Azovstal manufacturing unit in Mariupol appealed on to US billionaire Elon Musk on Wednesday for assist in saving them.

Taking to Twitter to plea for assist from the founding father of SpaceX and Tesla, Sergei Volyna, commander of the thirty sixth Marine Brigade in Mariupol, stated: "Folks say you come from one other planet to show individuals to consider within the inconceivable".

"Our planets are subsequent to one another, as I reside the place it's almost inconceivable to outlive," he tweeted.

"Assist us get out of Azovstal to a mediating nation. If not you, then who? Give me a touch".

Musk has already been considerably concerned in supporting Ukrainian forces following Russia's invasion.

Following an attraction on Twitter in February from Mykhailo Fedorov, Ukraine's vice prime minister, SpaceX's Starlink satellites have been deployed over Ukraine to complement the nation's Web providers which have been disrupted throughout Russia's ongoing invasion.

Kyiv stated this week that greater than 1,000 troopers, a lot of them wounded, have been nonetheless within the bowels of the metal web site, which homes an intensive Soviet-era underground labyrinth. 

It's the solely pocket of resistance within the strategic port metropolis of Mariupol, which is now beneath Russian management.

Ladies, youngsters, and the aged have been evacuated as a part of a humanitarian mission coordinated by the United Nations and the Pink Cross (ICRC).

Musk has 92 million followers on Twitter, an organization he's within the technique of trying to purchase in a $44 billion (€41 billion) takeover bid.

Customers in Ukraine have been closely reliant on Twitter to get data and assist.

In mid-March, Musk challenged Russian President Vladimir Putin to a "man-to-man struggle" over his nation's invasion of Ukraine.