WEB DESK
Russia’s defence ministry has announced that humanitarian corridors will open at 10:00 AM Moscow time (07:00GMT) on Saturday from the cities of Mariupol and Volnovakha.
The Russian Defense Ministry says in a statement carried by the RIA Novosti and Tass agencies it has agreed on evacuation routes with Ukrainian forces to allow civilians to leave the strategic port of Mariupol in the southeast and the eastern town of Volnovakha. There is no immediate confirmation from Ukrainian forces, and it is not immediately clear how long the evacuation routes would remain open.
Earlier, the head of Ukraine’s security council called on Russia to create humanitarian corridors to allow children, women and the elderly to escape the fighting.
Meanwhile, Mariupol’s mayor Vadym Boichenko also called for a humanitarian corridor earlier.