Russia announced Monday it will open humanitarian corridors to allow the evacuation of civilians from several Ukrainian cities experiencing heavy fighting, including the capital Kyiv and besieged port city Mariupol.
“Russian forces, for humanitarian purposes, are declaring a ‘regime of silence’ from 10:00 am on 7 March and the opening of humanitarian corridors,” the Russian defence ministry said in a statement. As reports of increasing casualties, including of civilians, ring alarm bells over the world, these corridors become a welcome step to decreasing the worse effects of a war.
News18 explains what humanitarian corridors are and how they work:
What are humanitarian corridors?
Humanitarian corridors are one of several possible forms of a temporary pause in armed conflict, according to the United Nations. They are demilitarised zones in a specific area and for a specific period of time — and they are agreed upon by both sides of an armed conflict.
What are they used for?
Food and medical aid can be delivered to conflict zones via these corridors, and civilians can be evacuated. When cities are under siege and the population is cut off from basic food supplies, electricity, and water, the corridors are essential.
In situations where international law of war is being violated, such as large-scale bombing of civilian targets, humanitarian corridors can provide critical relief.
Who arranges them?
The United Nations negotiates humanitarian corridors in the majority of cases. They are sometimes set up by local groups as well. Because all parties must agree to establish the corridors, there is a risk of military or political abuse. The corridors, for example, can be used to smuggle weapons and fuel into besieged cities.
On the other hand, they can be used by UN observers, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), and journalists to gain access to contested areas where war crimes are being committed.
In Ukraine, what corridors have been established?
The Russian military had said earlier it hold fire and open humanitarian corridors in several Ukrainian cities including the capital Kyiv at 1000 Moscow time on Monday. The corridors, which will also be opened from the cities of Kharkiv, Mariupol and Sumy, are being set up at the personal request of French President Emmanuel Macron and in view of the current situation in those cities, it had said.
According to maps published by the RIA news agency, the corridor from Kyiv will lead to Belarus, and civilians from Kharkiv will only have a corridor leading to Russia. Corridors from Mariupol and Sumy will lead both to other Ukrainian cities and to Russia.
Those who want to leave Kyiv will also be able to be airlifted to Russia, the ministry said, adding that it would use drones to monitor the evacuation and “attempts by the Ukrainian side to deceive Russia and the whole civilised world … are useless this time”.
Two planned evacuation operations from Mariupol and the nearby city of Volnovakha have failed over the last two days as the sides accused each other of failing to stop shooting and shelling.
In Mariupol alone, Ukrainian authorities have said they planned to evacuate over 200,000 civilians, or half of the city’s population.
With inputs from AFP, Reuters
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