Russia declares brief ceasefire in two Ukrainian cities
Following allegations of Russian troops targeting civilians, Russia has allowed people residing in Mariupol and Volnovakha to leave the cities.
Russia declared a ceasefire in Ukraine at 6:00 a.m. GMT to allow humanitarian corridors out of the Ukrainian cities of Mariupol and Volnovakha, according to Russian state-owned media Sputnik.
Citizens will be permitted to leave Mariupol, Ukraine, between 12:00 and 1700 Moscow time on Saturday, according to municipal authorities, as reported by Russia's RIA news agency. Russian forces encircling the Azov Sea coastal city of Mariupol announced a cease-fire and permission for inhabitants to leave.
According to press reports, there was no quick confirmation from the Ukrainian military on this, and it was unclear how long the evacuation routes would remain available.
The local authority announced earlier on Saturday that Russia had shut off power, food, water, heating, and transportation in Mariupol as temperatures plunged, adding that the city was "blockaded."Ukraine's President, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, has criticized Nato's decision not to impose a no-fly zone over Ukraine in the midst of the current crisis with Russia. "Today, a Nato summit took place. It was a weak conference, a confusing summit, a summit that demonstrated that not everyone in Europe considers the battle for freedom to be the most important goal "According to Russia's Sputnik, Zelenskyy stated in a video message. Zelenskyy charged the military alliance members of giving Russia "the green light to begin bombarding Ukrainian villages and cities."
