UKRAINE said it is halting all humanitarian corridors allowing for the evacuation of civilians from war-scarred regions of the country today, accusing Russian forces of violating agreements to allow people to flee.

“Unfortunately, we are not opening humanitarian corridors today. The situation along the routes is too dangerous, and we are forced to refrain from opening them today,” said Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk in a statement on social media.

Around Zaporizhzhia in the south, Russian forces are blocking buses used in evacuations, while in Lugansk in the east, Russian forces are violating an agreement to stop shooting while people escape, she added.

“The occupiers not only disregard the norms of international humanitarian law, but also cannot properly control their people on the ground.”

Ukrainian authorities have been urging people in Donbas to quickly move west in advance of a feared, large-scale offensive to capture the south-eastern region.

In the Kramatorsk, Russian forces allegedly struck a train station used for evacuations recently, leaving more than 50 people dead.

Vereshchuk today said efforts are underway to resume work along humanitarian routes “as soon as possible”. – AFP, April 13, 2022.