Russian aggressors announce a ceasefire and humanitarian corridors for five cities

DENYS KARLOVSKYY — MONDAY, 7 MARCH 2022, 22:36

Russian aggressors say they are ready to open humanitarian corridors to evacuate the population of Kyiv, Kharkiv, Mariupol, Sumy and Chernihiv at 10:00 a.m. on March 8.

Source: Russian state publication "RIA Novosti"

Details: The Russian Ministry of Defence is allegedly announcing a "silence regime" from 10 a.m. on March 8 to allow people to leave the five cities.

Neither the route of the corridors nor the ceasefire mechanisms have been published.

Background:

• The third round of talks between the Ukrainian and Russian delegations in Belarus took place on March 7. A member of the Ukrainian delegation, Mykhailo Podoliak, said that the parties had agreed on certain logistical issues to ensure humanitarian corridors in cities surrounded by Russian occupation forces or affected by missile and air strikes. At the same time, the Russian delegation said that its expectations for the talks did not come true.
• In the morning of March 7, the Russian aggressors declared a so-called "silence regime" without the consent of the Ukrainian side, and invited civilians to evacuate to Russia and Belarus.
• On March 7, 2,000 people were evacuated from hotspots in the suburbs of Kyiv, but another 4,000 were left without electricity, water, heat, and food in the destroyed houses.
• On March 6, the Russian aggressors began shelling and disrupted the opening of a humanitarian corridor from Mariupol, which was scheduled for noon.
• On March 5, Russian invaders also disrupted the planned evacuation of the population from Mariupol and Volnovakha.