Ukraine says 10 humanitarian corridors agreed for civilian evacuation

People can evacuate from city of Mariupol by private transport, says deputy prime minister

By Ruslan Rehimov

KYIV, Ukraine (AA) - Ten humanitarian corridors have been agreed upon to evacuate civilians from Ukraine's besieged southern cities, Ukraine's deputy prime minister said Saturday.

In a Telegram post, Iryna Vereshchuk said the civilians could cross into safe regions through the corridors, adding they could use private vehicles to leave Mariupol for Zaporizhzhia, while buses would be sent to Berdyansk.

Vereshchuk said the evacuation corridor would also remain open for those seeking to leave Melitopol, Enerhodar and Tokmak for Zaporizhzhia, while corridors in Luhansk would open if Russian troops agree on a cease-fire.

At least 1,626 civilians have been killed and 2,267 injured since Russia launched its war on Ukraine on Feb. 24, according to UN estimates.

More than 4.3 million Ukrainians have also fled to other countries, with millions more internally displaced, according to the UN refugee agency.

*Writing by Ali Murat Alhas

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