Ukraine on Monday kicked against Russia’s offer to establish humanitarian corridors in cities under bombardment, as the Ukrainian government found that some routes would lead refugees into Russia or Belarus. A controversy ensued after the claim by Russia that the decision on humanitarian corridors was taken after a “personal request” from French President Emmanuel Macron, in an interaction with President Vladimir Putin on Sunday, was denied by Macron’s office.
Russian offered the safe passage for Ukrainian civilians in the cities of Kharkiv, Kyiv, Mariupol, and Sumy, announcing temporary ceasefire.
Russian defence ministry early on Monday announced new plans for humanitarian corridors, with the defence ministry confirming a “regime of silence” started at 0700 GMT.
Ukraine expressed concerns over several routes leading into Russia or Belarus over the safety of escapees fleeing through those corridors.
The Deputy Prime Minister of Ukraine, Iryna Vereshchuk, had argued: “This is not an acceptable option.” He insisted that the civilians “aren’t going to go to Belarus and then take a plane to Russia”.
Thousands of civilians were said to flee the war zone through an unofficial humanitarian corridor in Irpin, a strategic suburb west of Kyiv.
Children and the elderly were carried on carpets used as stretchers on the route, which leads over a makeshift bridge and then a single path secured by the army and volunteers.
Frightened people abandoned pushchairs and heavy suitcases to make sure they could get on the buses out of the war zone.