Russia promises ceasefire for evacuation from Mariupol, Ukraine awaits response from ICRC

Ukrainska Pravda - Wednesday, 30 March 2022, 22:42

The Ukrainian side has yet to confirm information that Russian troops are ready to declare a ceasefire for the evacuation of civilians and foreign nationals from Mariupol to Zaporizhzhia on 31 March from 10:00.

Source: RBC; Iryna Vereshchuk, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister for Reintegration of the Temporarily Occupied Territories of Ukraine, comment for ‘Ukrainska Pravda’

Details: The Russian Ministry of Defence announced there would be a ceasefire for the evacuation from Mariupol starting at 10:00 on Thursday, 31 March, and called on the Ukrainian side to do the same.

Moscow has demanded that Kyiv guarantee the ceasefire at the scheduled time, send written notification to the Russian side, as well as to representatives of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees and the International Committee of the Red Cross, by 06:00 on 31 March, and ensure the safe movement of bus convoys along the agreed route.

Iryna Vereshchuk said that Ukraine had sent an official letter to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and is awaiting a response.

At the same time, she stressed: "Our buses are ready - as soon as there is a ceasefire, we shall immediately leave to pick up people."

Background: Mariupol has been under siege since 1 March. The city has no water, food, electricity, heat, gas supply or communications. 90% of houses in the city are damaged or destroyed.

Authorities have claimed Mariupol needed to be completely evacuated. According to various estimates, there were still 160,000-170,000 people left in the city as of 27 March.

A "green corridor" has never been open: people either left the city in vehicles or on foot under fire at their own risk.

Up to 30,000 Mariupol residents have been deported to the occupied territories or to Russia. Children have been deported without their parents in some cases.