Small convoy of buses leaves agreed evacuation point in Ukraine's Mariupol - Reuters witnesses

Dozens of civilians on Wednesday boarded a small convoy of buses in the besieged Ukrainian city of Mariupol that then departed from a planned evacuation point to Ukraine-controlled territory, two Reuters witnesses said.

Mariupol city authorities said earlier on Wednesday that they were hoping to evacuate about 6,000 people under a preliminary agreement with Russia - the first in weeks - on establishing a safe corridor.