Nationalists Prevent Safe Passage for Civilians from Kyiv, Kharkiv, and Mariupol, Says Russian Defense Ministry

The Russian Ministry of Defense has announced that over 140,000 people, including more than 39,000 children, have been evacuated from Ukraine to Russia.

“It is necessary to urgently provide humanitarian corridors for citizens to exit to safe locations in Ukraine. At the same time, nationalists are preventing the exit of peaceful residents from Kyiv, Kharkiv, and Mariupol,” stated the Russian Ministry of Defense.

According to the statement from the Russian Ministry of Defense, no Ukrainian residents in the territories controlled by the Russian armed forces will be left without food, water, or basic necessities. In addition, the interdepartmental humanitarian response headquarters calls on the UN and OSCE to engage in resolving humanitarian issues in Ukraine.