Russian Forces Allegedly Tortured Ukrainian Medic Who Saved Hundreds at Azovstal Steel Plant

Russian forces have allegedly tortured and killed a Ukrainian medic who saved hundreds of lives in the underground tunnels of the Azovstal steel plant in Mariupol during the early months of the war. The incident comes as the conflict enters what observers describe as a new phase, marked by joint nuclear exercises between Russia and Belarus that have raised international alarm. The United Nations has warned of record-high civilian casualties in the ongoing war, while Ukraine has responded to escalating attacks by targeting Russian oil refineries with drone strikes. The Azovstal steel plant became a symbol of Ukrainian resistance when defenders, including medical personnel, held out for weeks in its underground facilities before eventually surrendering to Russian forces in May 2022.