All news

Kiev torpedoes creation of humanitarian corridors — Russian Defense Ministry

Russia’s Deputy Defense Minister Alexander Fomin also noted that 67 ships remained stranded in Ukrainian ports

MOSCOW, April 4. /TASS/. Russia’s Deputy Defense Minister Alexander Fomin has told the UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Martin Griffiths that Kiev torpedoes creation of humanitarian corridors, the Russian Defense Ministry has said.

"The UN under-secretary-general was briefed on the situation resulting from Kiev’s sabotage of efforts for creating humanitarian corridors. It was stressed that since March 4 the Russian side has daily created all conditions for the safety of humanitarian corridors for the evacuation of civilians and foreign nationals eastwards and westwards. However, the columns of evacuees come under heavy fire from the Ukrainian army and the nationalist battalions, which use mortars and large caliber firearms," the Defense Ministry said after a meeting in Moscow.

According to the Defense Ministry, "despite this resistance more than 123,000 people have been taken to safety via a humanitarian corridor from Mariupol without the Ukrainian side taking part."

The Defense Ministry said that on April 4 Russia opened a humanitarian corridor again starting from 06:00 for rescuing foreign citizens and civilians from Mariupol. Russia is prepared to let ships enter the port of Berdyansk to pick up foreign nationals.

In the meantime, 67 ships remain stranded in Ukrainian ports.

"The Russian army opens a maritime humanitarian corridor every day from 08:00 till 19:00 Moscow time. This safe shipping route stretches southwest. However, the threat of bombardments and high naval mine risks created by the Ukrainian military do not let the ships head for the sea safely.