Ukraine has no agreement with Russia on Mariupol humanitarian corridor - deputy PM

Russia said it would open a humanitarian corridor for civilians to leave the Azovstal steel plant in Mariupol where Ukrainian fighters and some civilians are holed up. "It is important to understand that a humanitarian corridor opens by the agreement of both sides.

Ukraine has not reached any agreement with Russia on establishing a humanitarian corridor to evacuate civilians from the southern city of Mariupol on Monday, Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshschuk said. Russia said it would open a humanitarian corridor for civilians to leave the Azovstal steel plant in Mariupol where Ukrainian fighters and some civilians are holed up.

"It is important to understand that a humanitarian corridor opens by the agreement of both sides. A corridor announced unilaterally does not provide security, and therefore is not a humanitarian corridor," Vereshchuk said on the Telegram messaging app.