Ukrainian authorities have suspended plans to evacuate civilians from the Mariupol region, citing Russian violations of an agreed pause in hostilities.
Pavlo Kyrylenko, governor of eastern Ukraine’s Donetsk region, tweeted at 12:45 pm local time: “EVACUATION OF THE PACIFIC POPULATION OF MARIUPOL POSTPONED!”
“Due to the fact that the Russians do not observe the regime of silence and continue to bomb Mariupol and its surroundings, for security reasons, the evacuation of the population has been postponed,” he added.
Not long before, Iryna Vereshchuk, the Ukrainian minister for Reintegration of Temporarily Occupied Territories, said Russian forces appeared to be using the halt to fighting – which was agreed to allow the evacuation of civilians – to advance their own troops.
“Our military informs that in the area of the declared route [do corredor de retirada] Russian troops are using the ceasefire and advancing,” Vereshchuk said.
“I would like to address the Russian authorities and say this: we have agreed to a ceasefire through the Red Cross, using international conventions. There must be no advance of Russian troops. We use this channel to evacuate civilians – women, children, and also to deliver humanitarian goods to those who remain, such as medicine and food”, added the minister.
“I therefore appeal once again to the Russian authorities to stop the advance of their troops if this is happening – we are verifying this information – and to allow the evacuation of people.
“The whole world is watching this. I sincerely hope that this first step will end positively and people will find shelter, and not stay for weeks under the rubble, in basements with no water, no communication and no food”, concluded Vereshchuk.
Mariupol City Council has urged residents trying to flee the fighting to return to shelters as negotiations with Russia to secure an evacuation corridor continue, a statement said.
“We ask all Mariupol residents to leave and go to the shelters. More information on the evacuation coming soon. Negotiations are currently underway with the Russian Federation to establish a ceasefire regime and ensure a safe humanitarian corridor.” “Police will also inform city residents with the help of loudspeakers,” the statement added.
Earlier on Saturday, the military announced that it would stop bombing the cities of Mariupol and Volnovakha to allow civilians to escape.
Russia routinely denies causing civilian casualties in Ukraine. International media and observers have extensively documented civilian casualties and damage to civilian infrastructure.
Source: CNN Brasil
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