Russia to Open Humanitarian Corridors from Mariupol East-and Westward on March 21

Chief of Russia’s National Defense Management Center Mikhail Mizintsev 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

© Mikhail Tereshchenko/TASS, file

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.