MOSCOW, March 8. /TASS/. Russia announced a ceasefire from 10:00 am Moscow time, humanitarian corridors from Kiev, Chernigov, Sumy, Kharkov and Mariupol have been opened, Defense Ministry Spokesman Igor Konashenkov said on Tuesday.

"For the purposes of the safety evacuation of civilians from settlements, a ceasefire regime is being introduced today from 10:00 am Moscow time and humanitarian corridors are open from Kiev, Chernigov, Sumy, Kharkov and Mariupol," Konashenkov noted.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said in a televised address on February 24 that in response to a request by the leaders of the Donbass republics he had made a decision to carry out a special military operation. The Russian head of state stressed that Moscow had no plans of occupying Ukrainian territories. Russia’s Defense Ministry reported that Russian troops were not delivering strikes against Ukrainian cities. It emphasized that Ukrainian military infrastructure was being destroyed through the use of precision weapons. Civilians are not threatened, the Russian military assured.