Turkey has been coordinating Mariupol evacuation efforts with the Russian Defense Ministry, sources from the Turkish Defense Ministry said Tuesday.
Noting that the mines laid on the roads have been cleared by Russia after work and coordination efforts with Turkey, sources said work is also ongoing to open humanitarian corridors and the entrance of buses and trucks in the Ukrainian city.
“We expect the evacuation of our citizens from Mariupol as soon as possible, depending on the Russian Defense Ministry’s evaluation of the security situation,” sources said.
A rocket fell on Friday around 700 meters (2,297 feet) away from a mosque that currently houses 30 Turkish nationals.
Along with those in the mosque, there are 86 Turkish nationals in the city waiting to be evacuated.
Russian troops put a blockade on the strategic Ukrainian port city Mariupol, the mayor announced Saturday.
Capturing Mariupol, a city of about 450,000 people on the Azov Sea, would represent a bigger prize for Russian forces as it would deal a severe blow to Ukraine's maritime access and connect troops coming from annexed Crimea and the Donbass.
Since Russia launched its war on Ukraine on Feb. 24, more than 2.5 million people have fled to other countries, with some 2 million more displaced within the country.
At least 564 civilians have also been killed and 982 others injured in Ukraine, according to U.N. estimates.
While the European Union, United States and others have imposed sanctions on Moscow, many companies and global brands have also suspended operations in Russia.
