Natalia Zinets and Pavel Polityuk

LVIV (Ukraine) – Ukrainian civilians fled two areas under siege on Tuesday, after Russia created “humanitarian corridors” to them. However, Kyiv claimed that Russian forces had destroyed an evacuation route leading from Mariupol, the port city.

Oleg Nikolenko, spokesperson at the foreign ministry, reported on shelling in Mariupol soon after residents started to leave Sumy (northern Ukraine) and Irpin (near the capital Kyiv).

“Ceasefire violated! Russian forces are now bombarding the humanitarian corridor, (nearby Zaporizhzhia – Mariupol”),” NIkolenko tweeted (NYSE:

“8 trucks and 30 buses are ready to transport humanitarian aid to Mariupol, as well as to evacuate civilians from Zaporizhzhia (nearby). Russia needs to be under greater pressure in order to keep its promises.

Nikolenko didn’t give any further details, and there weren’t immediate reports about casualties. Russia has not yet commented on Nikolenko’s statements.

Since Russian troops entered Ukraine on February 24, fighting has left civilians trapped. Officials say that food, water, and other supplies are running short in certain cities.

The humanitarian corridors of Mariupol collapsed on Saturday and Sunday. Each side accused the other for continuing to fire.

Russia’s defence ministry stated that on Tuesday the corridors had been open to allow people from Kyiv (Chernihiv), Sumy, Kharkiv or Mariupol to flee. Interfax also reported that Russian forces have established a “silent rule” starting at 0700 GMT.

The foreign ministry in Ukraine tweeted that “We have already started to evacuate civilians from Sumy (in central Ukraine) including foreign students”.

Dmytro Zivytsky (the governor of Sumy) stated in televised comments at noon GMT that evacuations from Sumy were continuing. He also said that the ceasefire was largely maintained there.

He said that the first group of vehicles leaving the city encountered around 160 Russian military vehicles. However, the conflict ended peacefully after the civil convoy stopped allowing the Russian troops to pass.

Zhyvytsky stated that around 1,000 students were already evacuated. Convoys of 20-30 cars also left in waves.

Oleksiy Kuleba the governor of Kyiv said that over 150 people had been evacuated out Irpin as of 0730 GMT.

FLOOD OF RETRIEVEES

Reuters witnesses reported that Irpin residents tried to flee on Sunday but were stopped by Russian bombardment. Another witness said that a former mayor had warned of a “humanitarian disaster” in the vicinity.

Local authorities in Sumy reported that 21 civilians were among those killed when a Russian plane struck a Sumy residential street late Monday. Reuters couldn’t verify the reports.

Volodymyr Zelenskiy, President of the Russian Federation, stated that a Mariupol child died from dehydration.

It was not possible to confirm the death of the child independently. Moscow refers to its actions against Ukraine as a special military operation. It aims at disarming its neighbor and to arrest those it considers “neo Nazis”. It denied targeting civilians.

Filippo Grandi of the United Nations refugee Agency stated that approximately 2 million Ukrainian refugees fled to Ukraine.