Russia Ukraine War: Ukrainian officials said on Saturday that shelling began hours after Russia announced a ceasefire, disrupting evacuations from two cities. Earlier, Russia’s Defense Ministry said in a statement that it had agreed to give way to the evacuation of people in the strategically important port of Mariupol in the southeast and the city of Volnovakha in the east.
Moscow. Russia’s Defense Ministry said on Saturday that it has resumed “aggressive action” in Ukraine after declaring a temporary ceasefire for the safety of besieged civilians in two Ukrainian cities. Defense ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov said in a video briefing: “The Ukrainian side’s reluctance to influence the nationalists or extend the ceasefire has led to the resumption of offensive action by Russia at 18:00 Moscow time (1500 GMT). has been given.”
Konashenkov said that “not a single civilian” was able to get out of the humanitarian corridors. “The population of these cities is being used as a human shield by the nationalists,” he said. He said the “nationalist battalions” used the ceasefire to “realign and consolidate their positions”.
On Saturday itself, the Russian Defense Ministry said in a statement that it has agreed to give way to the evacuation of people in the strategically important port Mariupol in the southeast and the city of Volnovakha in the east. Since then, a temporary ceasefire was announced in these two cities of Ukraine. However, it was not clear in this statement how long those routes would remain open.
Ukraine targets Russia for breaking ceasefire
Meanwhile, Kirillo Timoshenko, deputy head of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s office, said, “Russia is not pursuing a ceasefire and shelling continues in Mariupol and surrounding areas.” Talks are going on with the Russian Federation for this.’ Deputy Prime Minister Irina Vereshchuk told reporters, ‘We appeal to Russia to stop shelling’. He said that Russia also acted contrary to the ceasefire announcement in Volnovakha.
Mariupol mayor Vadim Boychenko said on a Ukrainian TV channel that thousands of people had gathered for a safe exit from the city and that buses took them away as soon as the shelling began. Russian forces have been shelling Mariupol for the past several days and the icy winter has left hundreds of people stranded there without electricity, phones, food and water.