MOSCOW, March 16. /TASS/. Nearly 31,400 civilians have evacuated from Mariupol through humanitarian corridors, 99% of them were willing to go to Russia or to the Russia-controlled areas, Colonel General Mikhail Mizintsev, chief of Russia’s National Defense Management Center, said on Wednesday.
"A humanitarian operation is continuing in Mariupol. In the past 24 hours, [the Russian forces] provided a safe evacuation of 31,367 civilians, including 89 foreigners, from the unblocked city along humanitarian corridors. Among them are 71 OSCE representatives, nine Greek and nine Pakistani citizens," he said.
According to Mizintsev, only 36 of the evacuees have left for the Kiev-controlled areas in the Dnepropetrovsk region.
Most of the rescued people voiced their intention to go to Russia or to settlements in the area controlled by the Russian Armed Forces, to the liberated areas in the Zaporozhye and Kherson regions.
Mizintsev said that from beginning to end, the entire humanitarian operation had been planned and carried out by the Donetsk People’s Republic and the Russian Armed Forces, without any involvement from the Ukrainian authorities. However, Kiev is spreading reports that the humanitarian operation was done by its forces.
Ukrainian forces opened fire on a convoy with refugees that was moving through a humanitarian corridor on the Kharkov direction towards Russia, four people were killed, Mizintsev said.
"Today, on the Kharkov direction, the Ukrainian [forces] again opened fire on a bus convoy with refugees that was going along the humanitarian corridor towards Russia. As a result, four people were killed, some were wounded," the general said.
"We demand that Ukraine unfailingly abide by all conditions to provide security of humanitarian corridors along all the routes for organized evacuation of civilians and foreigners," he stressed.
Russia will file an appeal with international organizations on March 16 to look into genocide of the civilian population intentionally carried out by the Ukrainian authorities, Mizintsev said.
"We have to raise these issues [holding civilians hostage] at international organizations. And we are sending them an official appeal which says that the Ukrainian authorities are creating a situation that is consistent with all international legal regulations of genocide of civilians," said Mizintsev.
The colonel general wondered why the Kiev authorities were holding their citizens as hostages and were not allowing them to leave Kiev, Kharkov, Chernigov, Sumy and other localities.
"Why do you not hear them and disregard their right to decide how to live their own lives?" he asked.
Mizintsev pointed out that the Kiev authorities were holding as hostages those who had already decided everything for themselves and who were willing to leave for Russia.
"The number of Mariupol residents evacuated to Russia and to the areas controlled by the Russian Armed Forces is a clear proof of that," he added.
As many as 12,440 people, including 2,242 children, were evacuated during the day from dangerous areas in Ukraine, Mizintsev said.
"Despite the difficulties and obstacles put by the Ukrainian side for the evacuation of civilian population, as many as 12,440 people, including 2,242 children, were evacuated during the day from dangerous areas without Kiev’s participation. A total of 271,231 people, including 58,422 children, have been evacuated since the beginning of the special military operation," he said.
Russia will file an appeal with international organizations on March 16 to look into genocide of the civilian population intentionally carried out by the Ukrainian authorities, Mizintsev said.
"We have to raise these issues [holding civilians hostage] at international organizations. And we are sending them an official appeal which says that the Ukrainian authorities are creating a situation that is consistent with all international legal regulations of genocide of civilians," said Mizintsev.
The colonel general wondered why the Kiev authorities were holding their citizens as hostages and were not allowing them to leave Kiev, Kharkov, Chernigov, Sumy and other localities.
"Why do you not hear them and disregard their right to decide how to live their own lives?" he asked.
Mizintsev pointed out that the Kiev authorities were holding as hostages those who had already decided everything for themselves and who were willing to leave for Russia.
"The number of Mariupol residents evacuated to Russia and to the areas controlled by the Russian Armed Forces is a clear proof of that," he added.