Hardly any hope for new corridors
Escape from Mariupol and Izyum remains life-threatening
03/16/2022 12:33 p.m
Following massive attacks by the Russian army, the situation in Ukrainian cities such as Izyum and Mariupol is considered catastrophic. The people in the towns hope for safe escape routes. But the government in Kyiv can hardly hope for safe corridors.
According to information from Kyiv on Wednesday, civilians from embattled towns and villages in Ukraine cannot hope for an evacuation. Kyiv has received no response to its proposals to the Red Cross, Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk said on video. “The question of humanitarian corridors for Izyum and Mariupol is open. It is currently impossible to safely get people out of there,” said Vereshchuk. “Ways for the delivery of food and medicines to conquered cities are worked out.”
The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) emphasizes that agreements on humanitarian corridors must always be negotiated between the conflicting parties. It is in constant contact with government representatives in Moscow and Kyiv. However, the organization does not guarantee such agreements, but uses them to deliver relief supplies and bring the civilian population to safety. The core task of the ICRC is humanitarian protection and support for victims of war and armed violence.
The situation in some Ukrainian cities such as Isjum in the north-east of the country, which is under siege by the Russian army, or the south-east Ukrainian port of Mariupol, which has been completely surrounded for days, is considered catastrophic. In the past few days, people had repeatedly escaped via agreed escape corridors. Several attempts failed in Mariupol before around 20,000 people were finally able to leave the city on Tuesday. On Tuesday, the Red Cross escorted convoys of more than 80 buses out of the besieged Sumy region after security on the route was agreed at the local level.
Vereshchuk accused the Russian units of shelling columns of refugees and assembly points in settlements. Russia, for its part, is making similar allegations against Ukrainian troops.