War in Ukraine: Volodymyr Zelensky accuses Russian forces of having failed the evacuation of civilians

"Humanitarian corridors" were opened on Monday, but they led to Russia and Belarus and were therefore rejected by the Ukrainian government. 

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky speaks during a press conference in Kiev (Ukraine), March 3, 2022. (SERGEI SUPINSKY / AFP)

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Monday (March 7) accused the Russian army of having failed to evacuate civilians via the humanitarian corridors which were to be set up in the country following talks. "There was an agreement on humanitarian corridors. Did that work? Russian tanks worked instead, Russian Grad   [multiple rocket launchers]  , Russian mines ," he said. in a video posted on Telegram.

He also accused Russian forces of 'mining the route that had been agreed to bring food and medicine' into the besieged southern Ukrainian city of Mariupol and 'destroying the buses' in front of it. evacuate civilians from combat zones. “They ensure that a small corridor to the occupied territory is opened, for a few dozen people. Not so much to Russia as to the propagandists, directly to the television cameras,” Volodymyr Zelensky continued, accusing Moscow of “ cynicism" .

Moscow announced Monday morning the establishment of local ceasefires and the opening of corridors to allow the departure of civilians from several besieged cities in Ukraine, where the humanitarian situation is worsening day by day. But Ukraine has refused to evacuate civilians to Russia, with four of the six corridors proposed by the Russians going to that country or its neighbor and ally Belarus . After new negotiations on Monday, Russia announced the establishment of local ceasefires in several Ukrainian cities from 8 a.m. (French time) on Tuesday to allow the evacuation of civilians. 

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