Russia claims Ukraine not cooperating on evacuation of Kharkiv, Sumy

By Ali Cura

MOSCOW (AA) - Russia’s Defense Ministry claimed Sunday that Ukraine is refusing to cooperate in the evacuation of civilians from the Ukrainian cities of Kharkiv and Sumy.

Nearly 163,000 people, including 43,000 children, have been evacuated from Ukraine to Russia, the ministry said in a statement.

Also blaming Ukraine for an interruption in the evacuation of civilians from the city of Mariupol, the statement said Russia has created all the conditions for setting up a humanitarian corridor.

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

At least 364 civilians in Ukraine have been killed, including 38 children and 42 women, and 759 others injured since Russia launched a war in the Eastern European country on Feb. 24, according to UN figures, with the real toll feared to be higher.

More than 1.5 million people have fled Ukraine to neighboring countries, according to the UN Refugee Agency.