MFA Statement regarding impediment by Russia of the opening of the humanitarian corridors in Ukraine

In violation of the previously reached agreements, on 7 March 2022 the Russian Federation yet again sabotaged the opening of the humanitarian corridors for the evacuation of the civil population from the besieged cities of the Kyiv, Kharkiv, Donetsk and Kherson regions.

Russia's armed forces continue bombardments and missile attacks on Kyiv, Mariupol, Volnovakha, Sumy, Mykolayiv, Kharkiv and other cities, towns and villages. This prevents the safe exit of humanitarian convoys carrying Ukrainian and foreign citizens, as well as the delivery of medications and food.

Russia must stop violating the ceasefire agreement, put an end to spreading disinformation and manipulating the lives of civilians. Evacuation through humanitarian corridors is only possible when the ceasefire regime is fully upheld. The Ukrainian side is ready for that. We also consider as inappropriate any attempts by Moscow to force civilians in the besieged cities to flee to the territory of Russia and Belarus, taking into account high probability of provocations, in particular taking those evacuated as hostages or using them by the Russian armed forces as human shields.

Ukraine calls on the states, in particular those whose leaders maintain contacts with president Putin, to make all the possible efforts to force Russia to ensure the ceasefire regime is upheld in order to open humanitarian corridors and prevent a large scale humanitarian catastrophe.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine continues to remain in constant contact with embassies of foreign states whose citizens remain in the conflict zones, and provides them with maximum assistance for the evacuation of their citizens though the territory of Ukraine.