The announcement that humanitarian corridors would be set up came after Friday's diplomatic talks, in which Ukraine and Russia agreed to evacuate civilians from war-torn areas.

Russia's Defense Ministry announced on Saturday morning that a temporary ceasefire would prevail around two cities - Mariupol and the nearby small town of Volnovakha.

The message was welcomed by Mariupol Mayor Vadim Boychenko, who for several days appealed for a safe escape route for residents.

The city has earlier this week been described as surrounded by Russian forces.

Interrupted evacuation

By 10 a.m., Swedish time, the city had collected buses for transportation to nearby Zaporizhia.

However, the journey was short.

Just an hour later, Mariupol's city administration announced that the evacuation had been interrupted due to continued fighting.

- There is no ceasefire in Mariupol and there is no ceasefire along the escape route, says the city's vice president Serhij Orlov to the BBC.

Here, the humanitarian corridor would have been opened.

Photo: SVT Grafik

At the same time, the city administration urged those who had begun the journey to return to their shelters, waiting for negotiations with the Russian side to yield results.

Russia's Defense Ministry, for its part, claims that the evacuation was interrupted due to the opening of fire by Ukrainian "nationalists", reports the Russian news agency RIA.

The need to establish corridors for humanitarian aid operations in Mariupol and other cities is urgent, according to Karolina Lindholm Billing, who is the country responsible for Ukraine at the UNHCR.

Seeking protection in hospital

At the same time, pictures taken by the news agency AP on Thursday show an incredible suffering in Mariupol.

People seek refuge in a hospital while the sound of shelling bounces from wall to wall inside the hospital corridors.

Mariupol residents duck in corridors while detonations sound outside the hospital.

Photo: Evgeniy Maloletka, AP / TT

Inside the hospital, a young couple rushes in with their 18-month-old son who was injured by shelling.

But the child is too badly injured and can not be saved.

The young couple breaks down and a doctor collapses.

A young couple in mourning after the death of their 18-month-old son.

Photo: AP

The doctor turns to the AP's photographer and says into the camera:

- Show this to Putin.

The scenes are repeated time and time again, according to the AP's photographer.

In the corridors, severely injured people are cared for on temporary mattresses.

At the same time, the sound of gunfire continues to be heard in the city.

Five basic questions about the war

  • Why does not the outside world enter militarily?

    46 sec

  • What does Putin want?

    35 sec

  • Should Sweden be worried?

    30 sec

  • How did the invasion start?

    23 sec

  • What is the background to the war?

    1 minute