AMN/ WEB DESK
The Ukrainian president’s office said civilian evacuations have been halted in an area of the country where Russian defense officials had announced a cease-fire.
Kyrylo Tymoshenko, the deputy head of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s office, said the evacuation effort was stopped because the city of Mariupol remained under fire today.
The Russian side is not holding to the ceasefire and has continued firing on Mariupol itself and on its surrounding area,” he said. Talks with the Russian Federation are going on regarding setting up a ceasefire and ensuring a safe humanitarian corridor.
The Russian Defense Ministry said earlier in a statement it had agreed on evacuation routes with Ukrainian forces for Mariupol, a strategic port in the southeast, and for the eastern city of Volnovakha.