New Delhi: Russia will open more humanitarian corridors in Ukraine Wednesday, a day after the first successful evacuation of refugees from the northeastern city of Sumy.
The corridors will be opened from the capital Kyiv, and the cities of Chernihiv, Kharkiv, Sumy and Mariupol.
Russian news agency Tass quoted defence official Mikhail Mizintsev saying that Russian forces would “observe a regime of silence” from 10 am Moscow time (12.30 IST) to ensure safe passage for civilians wishing to leave these cities. This would mean that the aggressor will hold fire during the evacuation process.
Six hundred and ninety four Indian medical students had left Sumy on Tuesday after Prime Minister Narendra Modi had a word with both Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Ukraine had aborted previous evacuation corridors because they led to Russian territory and that of Russia’s staunch ally Belarus – from where citizens could take a flight elsewhere. Ukraine insisted that their citizens should leave only through Ukrainian territory.
It was unclear whether Wednesday’s proposed routes would pass through Russia or Belarus.
More than two million refugees have fled Ukraine to other countries in Europe as Russia’s offensive – which it calls a ‘special operation’ to dethrone Ukraine’s ‘neo-Nazi leadership’ – enters its third week.
US President Joe Biden on Tuesday banned Russia’s economic lifeline — oil imports — followed by more western leaders who made similar decisions. This, however, will take up oil prices further – crude has already surged more than 30 per cent since Russia invaded Ukraine on 24 February.
McDonald’s and coffee chain Starbucks added to Russia’s isolation Tuesday by closing stores. Pepsi and Coca Cola also announced they would stop selling their products.
Meanwhile, Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has walked back from his earlier demand that his country be made a NATO member. This was one of Russia’s reasons for attacking its pro-West neighbour.
Zelenskyy has now said that he does not want to be the president of a “country that is begging for something on its knees (read the NATO membership)”.
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