Russia Demands Kyiv to Release Civilians in Azovstal

Russia is demanding Kyiv to take measures to free civilians, if there are any present in the area. This was stated today, April 19, by Army General Mikhail Mizintsev, head of the National Defense Management Center of the Russian Federation.

According to him, various publications have emerged in Ukrainian media over the last 24 hours, claiming that a large number of civilians are located in the Azovstal plant. “We are confident that this is yet another information stuffing aimed at freeing the militants there,” Mizintsev said, who heads Russia's interdepartmental coordinating staff for humanitarian response in Ukraine.

He stated that the Russian leadership guarantees the safe evacuation of all civilians without exception and their movement as part of humanitarian columns in any direction they choose. “At the same time, we declare that holding the civilian population as a human shield, in violation of the norms of international humanitarian law, is terrorism, and the officials of the Kyiv authorities and the direct perpetrators of this inhumane act in Azovstal are war criminals and terrorists,” emphasized the army general.

Russian armed forces have opened a humanitarian corridor today at 14:00 for the withdrawal of Ukrainian servicemen and militants of nationalist formations who voluntarily lay down their arms in Azovstal. Russian troops declared a silence regime and formed three humanitarian columns. The Russian leadership guarantees the preservation of life for all those who lay down their arms, complete security, the provision of quality medical assistance, and compliance with the Geneva Conventions for the treatment of prisoners of war.