The inhabitants of the Ukrainian port of Mariupol constantly alternate between hope and despair.
The balance now seems to be on the positive side, but this will be for a short time only.
Russia announced on Wednesday evening that its forces would cease fire for three days from Thursday on the Azovstal steelworks and open a humanitarian corridor to evacuate civilians.
"The Russian armed forces will open a humanitarian corridor from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Moscow time (one hour less in Paris) on May 5, 6 and 7 from the site of the Azovstal metallurgical plant to evacuate civilians", said the Ministry of Defense.
"During this period, the Russian armed forces and the units of the Donetsk People's Republic will cease fire and hostilities unilaterally."
Civilians who have taken refuge in the factory will be allowed to travel to Russia or territories under the control of kyiv, according to the ministry statement.
Earlier in the day on Wednesday, the mayor of Mariupol, Vadim Boïtchenko, had affirmed that "violent fighting" was underway, although Moscow had assured not to storm this huge factory where both fighters are entrenched Ukrainians and civilians.
For his part, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called on UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres to help "save" the injured at the Azovstal site.
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War in Ukraine
Cease fire
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