Evacuation in bus convoy
Russia announces ceasefire in Mariupoli
03/31/2022, 00:10
About 160,000 civilians remain in Mariupol while Russian troops have leveled their city. They have been cut off from all supplies for weeks. Russia is now declaring a ceasefire from Thursday morning to allow them to escape.
The Russian Defense Ministry has announced a ceasefire in the southern Ukrainian port of Mariupol. The ministry said on Wednesday evening that the measure would come into effect on Thursday at 10:00 a.m. (9:00 a.m. CEST) and should create an opportunity for civilians to be evacuated from the besieged city via a humanitarian corridor.
“For this humanitarian campaign to be successful, we propose the direct participation of representatives of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC),” the statement said. The Ukrainian military must also ensure the security of the bus convoy in which civilians are to be transported.
The humanitarian corridor is said to lead to Zaporizhia through the city of Burdiansk under Russian control. According to the Interfax agency, Major General Mikhail Mizintsev said the Ukrainian side has until 6:00 a.m. Thursday (5:00 a.m. CEST) to declare a ceasefire.
Ukraine and Russia have repeatedly accused each other of sabotaging the escape of Mariupol residents. Recently, French President Emmanuel Macron in a telephone call with Kremlin chief Vladimir Putin also stressed on humanitarian aid operations for the city surrounded by Russian troops. It’s been weeks to Mariupol cut off all supplies And there is heavy shelling by the Russian army. The city is now largely destroyed, but about 160,000 residents are said to be trapped there. The situation on the ground is dire. According to sources in Ukraine, at least 5,000 people have been killed.
