MOSCOW, March 20. /TASS/. Humanitarian corridors from Mariupol will be opened in the eastern and western directions from ten in the morning on Monday, Mikhail Mizintsev, chief of Russia’s National Defense Management Center, said on Sunday.
According to Mizintsev, "up to 130,000 civilians, including 184 foreigners from six countries, are still kept in the city as hostages."
"Taking this into account, Russia will open humanitarian corridors from Mariupol in the eastern and western directions upon the agreement with the Ukrainian side from 10:00am Moscow time tomorrow, on March 21 in order to save human lives and preserve Mariupol’s infrastructure and on the basis of intercepted radio talks of neo-Nazis who have realized the utter hopelessness of their position and senselessness of further resistance," he said, adding that Russian forcers and units of the Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR) will declare a ceasefire and guarantee its observance from 09:30am Moscow time.
He also said that Russian forces will give a possibility to nationalists to leave Mariupol unarmed via humanitarian corridors from 10:00am to 12:00 Moscow time on March 21. "Ukrainian armed units and foreign mercenaries will be able to leave the city without weapons and munitions along a route agreed with Ukraine from 10:00am to 12:00 Moscow time," he said, adding that from 12:00 it is planned to let humanitarian convoys to reach the city.
In his words, Mariupol residents will be free to choose a humanitarian corridor to leave the city. "Each Mariupol resident and foreign nationals will be guaranteed voluntary choice of any of the humanitarian corridors or the right to stay in the unblocked city," he said.
According to Mizintsev, each convoy will be escorted by mine engineers to clear mines in order to ensure safe evacuation of people.
Russia delivered 3,799 tonnes of cargo to settlements of Lugansk and Donetsk People’s Republics, Kiev, Zaporozhye, Chernigov, Kharkov and Kherson regions on Ukraine, Mizintsev said.
"During 492 humanitarian actions, Russia delivered 3,799 tonnes of cargo to settlements of Lugansk and Donetsk People’s Republics, Kiev, Zaporozhye, Chernigov, Kharkov and Kherson regions [of Ukraine]," he said.
In the past 24 hours, a total of 28 humanitarian actions were held, with 180 tonnes of food, essential goods and medicine handed over to civilians yesterday.
"A total of 21 humanitarian actions planned for today are being carried out in Lugansk and Donetsk People’s Republic, Kiev, Chernigov and Zaporozhye regions, with 482 tonnes of long shelf life food and essential goods being handed over to the civilian population," he added.
Russia announced 8 humanitarian corridors for March 20, with Ukraine announcing 7 additional routes, Mizintsev said.
"Starting on 10 AM today, we once again opened and secured humanitarian corridors on Kiev, Chernigov, Sumy and Kharkov directions: one corridor on each direction eastward, towards Russia, and one corridor on each direction westward, towards Ukraine’s western borders through regions under Kiev authorities’ control," he said.
According to Mizintsev, Kiev continues obstructing evacuation of civilians to the Russian territory.
"Meanwhile, the official Kiev announced seven more humanitarian corridors: on Kiev, Kharkov and Zaporozhye directions," the general said.