Europe 1 with AFP 8:58 a.m., March 5, 2022, modified at 8:59 a.m., March 5, 2022
From 7 a.m., "the Russian side declares a regime of silence (of arms) and the opening of humanitarian corridors for the evacuation of civilians from Mariupol and Volnovakha," the Russian Defense Ministry said.
The ministry clarified that the location of the humanitarian corridors and exit points had been determined in agreement with the Ukrainian authorities.
Russia announced a ceasefire on Saturday to allow the evacuation of civilians from two cities in eastern Ukraine, including the encircled strategic port of Mariupol, after consultations between representatives of Kiev and Moscow.
From 7 a.m. GMT, "the Russian side declares a regime of silence (of arms) and the opening of humanitarian corridors for the evacuation of civilians from Mariupol and Volnovakha", the Russian Defense Ministry said, quoted by Russian news agencies.
The ministry said the location of the humanitarian corridors and exit points had been determined in agreement with the Ukrainian authorities, according to the agencies.
Mariupol at a blockade
Russian forces entered Ukraine on February 24.
On the night of Friday to Saturday, the mayor of Mariupol, Vadim Boitchenko, announced that this strategic port located on the Sea of Azov and normally counting 450,000 inhabitants was subject to a "blockade".
Pro-Russian separatist forces and the military said the town was surrounded.
Before the Russian ministry's announcement on Saturday, Vadim Boitchenko had called for a ceasefire "so that we can restore vital infrastructure and set up a humanitarian corridor to bring food and medicine to the city".
The city of Volnovakha is located about sixty kilometers north of Mariupol.