3rd round of talks between Russia, Ukraine kicks off

By Ali Cura

MOSCOW (AA) - The third round of negotiations between Russia and Ukraine kicked off in the Belarusian city of Brest on Monday.

Russia announced early on Monday that it would declare a "temporary" cease-fire in the Ukrainian capital Kyiv and the cities of Mariupol, Kharkiv, and Sumy from 10 a.m. local time (0700GMT) to ensure the evacuation of civilians.

Russia's war on Ukraine has been met with outrage from the international community, with the European Union, Britain, and US, among others, imposing a range of economic sanctions on Moscow.

At least 364 civilians have been killed and 759 others injured in Ukraine since Russia launched a war against the Eastern European country on Feb. 24, according to UN figures, with the real toll feared to be higher.

More than 1.7 million people have fled Ukraine to neighboring countries, according to the UN refugee agency.