MOSCOW – Russia on Saturday announced a temporary ceasefire to facilitate the exit of residents of Ukraine’s Mariupol and Volnovakha cities as the war has entered second week.
, Russian Defense Ministry in a statement said: "Today, on March 5, a ceasefire is announced from 10:00 a.m. Moscow time and humanitarian corridors are opened for the exit of civilians from Mariupol and Volnovakha".
It said that the humanitarian corridors and the exit routes were agreed between Russia and Ukraine officials.
Meanwhile, the Ukraine has not issued any statement about the ceasefire. The time period for ceasefire has also not been revealed.
The ceasefire announcement comes a day after both sides reached an tentative agreement to establish a safe corridors inside Ukraine to evacuate citizens and deliver humanitarian aid.
On Feb 24, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced launch of a full-scale military operations in response to what he says at the request of the Donbass republics.
The intensifying war has so far claimed hundreds of lives, including children, reports said.
Meanwhile, Russian defence ministry clarified that country’s troops are not targeting Ukrainian cities, but are limited to surgically striking and incapacitating Ukrainian military infrastructure, Tass news reported.