Russia declares ceasefire in Kyiv, Sumy, 2 other Ukrainian cites

The Russian armed forces announced a ceasefire from 10:00 am (12.30 pm IST) for the residents of Ukraine capital Kiev, Mariupol, Kharkiv, Sumy to leave the cities, local media reported citing interdepartmental coordination headquarters for humanitarian response in Ukraine on Monday.

"Given the catastrophic humanitarian situation and its sharp aggravation in the cities of Kiev, Kharkiv, Sumy and Mariupol, as well as at the personal request of French President Emmanuel Macron to Russian President Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin, the Russian armed forces announce ceasefire for humanitarian purposes from 10;00 March 7, 2022, and open humanitarian corridors," the response center said in a statement.

During the ceasefire, Russia will control the evacuation of residents from the cities of Ukraine with the help of drones, the statement read cited by the Sputnik News Agency said.

"We warn that all attempts by the Ukrainian side once again to deceive Russia and the entire civilized world in disrupting the humanitarian operation, allegedly through the fault of Russia, this time is useless and meaningless," the headquarters said.

According to the headquarters, this information has been communicated to the relevant structures of the UN, the OSCE, the ICRC and other international organizations through all available information resources, including the media.

"We demand that the Ukrainian side strictly fulfil all the conditions for the creation of humanitarian corridors in the above-mentioned directions and ensure an organized withdrawal of civilians and foreign citizens," the statement added, Sputnik reported.