What looked like a breakthrough ceasefire to evacuate residents from two cities in beleaguered Ukraine has fallen apart within hours of Russia announcing the deal
Ukrainian government sources said that the evacuation of civilians was halted as a result of renewed shelling by invading Russian forces.
Earlier, the Russian defence ministry said it and Ukrainian forces had agreed to a ceasefire along evacuation routes out of Mariupol, a strategic port in the south-east, and the eastern city of Volnovakha.
“The Russian side is not holding to the ceasefire and has continued firing on Mariupol itself and on its surrounding area,” Kyrylo Tymoshenko, the deputy head of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s office, said.
“Talks with the Russian Federation are ongoing regarding setting up a ceasefire and ensuring a safe humanitarian corridor.”
Russia breached the deal in Volnovakha as well, Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk told reporters on Saturday.
“We appeal to the Russian side to stop firing,” she said.
The International Committee of the Red Cross said it understood that evacuations of civilians from both Mariupol and Volnovakha would no longer take place.
Moscow media outlet RIA Novosti carried a Russian defence ministry report that the firing came from inside both cities against Russian positions, a claim Ukraine’s foreign ministry denied.
“The ongoing shelling makes it impossible to open humanitarian corridors for the safe evacuation of civilians and the delivery of medicines and food,” a Ukraine foreign ministry statement said.
Mr Zelenskyy said Ukraine was “doing everything” on its part to make the agreement work.
“This is one of the main tasks for today. Let’s see if we can go further in the negotiation process.”
Russia and Ukraine are set to hold a third round of talks on Monday about ending hostilities.
The talks were announced by Ukrainian negotiator David Arakhamia
Reports that the southern port town of Mariupol has been under increased Russian shelling over the past few days, forcing its Mayor to stop evacuations for the time being.
BBC
