Russia has declared a ceasefire in Ukraine capital Kyiv, and the cities of Kharkiv, Mariupol and Sumy to facilitate the evacuation of citizens.

Humanitarian corridors would be formed to safely bring out those trapped in these cities, an operation announced after a personal request to Vladimir Putin by French President Emmanuel Macron.

Earlier, Russian President Putin told his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan over phone that Russia’s military operation in Ukraine could be suspended only if Kyiv ceased military action and fulfilled Moscow’s demands.

A Kremlin statement said, “Vladimir Putin informed about the progress of the special military operation on protecting Donbas, conveyed principal approaches and assessments in this context, explained in detail basic set goals and tasks. It was emphasised that the special operation is proceeding according to a plan and is on schedule,” reported TASS News Agency.

The statement said Russian forces “were doing everything possible to preserve the lives and guarantee the security of civilians, precision strikes are targeting exclusively the facilities of military infrastructure”.

In his latest address to the Ukrainian people, President Volodymyr Zelensky vowed to punish anyone who “committed atrocities in this war on our land”.

Zelensky said “we will not forget, we will not forgive” the perpetrators. “There will be no quiet place on this Earth except the grave,” he added.

Russia has continued to attack cities by land, air and sea over the weekend, and firmly stressed on Ukraine’s unconditional surrender as the first step towards a solution.

A third round of talks between the two countries are set for Monday after the first two failed abjectly.

Source: The Print 

BDST: 1226 HRS, MAR 07, 2022
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