Russian forces were ordered to stop firing Saturday morning to allow humanitarian corridors out of the Ukrainian cities of Mariupol and Volnovakha, Russia's Defense Ministry said, Interfax reported.
"Today, March 5, from 10 a.m. Moscow time (7 a.m. GMT), the Russian side declares a regime of silence and opens humanitarian corridors for the exit of civilians from Mariupol and Volnovakha," the ministry said.
The ministry clarified that the location of the humanitarian corridors and exit points had been determined in agreement with the Ukrainian authorities, according to Russian news agencies. There was no immediate confirmation from Ukraine.
The vaguely worded statement did not make clear how long the routes would remain open.
The head of Ukraine's Security Council, Oleksiy Danilov, had called on Russia to create humanitarian corridors to allow children, women and senior citizens to get away from the fighting, calling such corridors "question No. 1."
The invading forces of Russia have blockaded the harbor city of Mariupol, the mayor of the city said Saturday, as the troops cutoff essentials such as electricity, food, water and alike.
Since President Vladimir Putin's army invaded on Feb. 24, Russia has pummelled Ukrainian cities, killed hundreds of civilians and assaulted Europe's largest atomic power plant.
The invasion has drawn condemnation and severe sanctions from Western nations balancing the punishment of the Kremlin with fears of a hazardous escalation.
