Moscow announces unilateral ceasefire to evacuate civilians from Azovstal steel plant
Russian forces announced a unilateral ceasefire on Monday in order to allow for the evacuation of civilians from the besieged Azovstal steel plant in Mariupol, Ukraine.
The head of Russia's National Defence Coordination Center, Mijail Mizintsev, said that Russian troops and those of the self-proclaimed independent republics of Donetsk and Luhansk would cease all hostilities from 1100 GMT and that the civilians would be allowed to head in whichever direction they chose.
However, the NDCR also insisted that in order to proceed Ukraine forces would need to signal their intention by "raising white flags", Europa Press reported.
"If civilians remain at the steel plant, we categorically demand that authorities in Kyiv immediately issue the corresponding order to the commanders of the nationalist groups present to free them," Mizintsev reportedly demanded.
Soon after Moscow's announcement, reports appeared citing Ukrainian officials according to whom no deal was in place for a humanitarian corridor out of Azovstal.
However, Ukrainian vice-president, Iryna Vereschuk, reportedly said the country was ready to do whatever was necessary in order to open a humanitarian corridor to get civilians and soldiers out of Azovstal.