Russian troops shell Volnovakha with heavy weapons - Vereshchuk

Ukraine's Deputy Prime Minister, Minister for Reintegration of the Temporarily Occupied Territories Iryna Vereshchuk said this at a briefing on Saturday, according to an Ukrinform correspondent.

"At 11:45, the Russian Federation began shelling the city of Volnovakha with heavy weapons. As you know, from 09:00 on March 5, we had an agreement that we would create two humanitarian corridors - Volnovakha and Mariupol. I note the fact that Russia has violated the agreements, even through the Red Cross, it has not complied with its commitments and is shelling the city of Volnovakha," she said.

In addition, according to her, fighting is taking place in the area of Polohy-Orikhove, which makes it impossible for the column to move from Mariupol to Zaporizhia.

"We appeal to the Russian side to stop the shelling, return the ceasefire and give the opportunity to form columns [...] so that children, women and the elderly can leave the settlements," Vereshchuk said.

She also demanded that Russia provide an opportunity to send humanitarian goods from Dnipro and Zaporizhzhia - medicines and food.

Vereshchuk said earlier that an agreement had been reached between Ukraine and Russia to establish a humanitarian corridor from 09:00 on March 5 in two directions - Volnovakha and Mariupol. Evacuation routes have been agreed with the International Committee of the Red Cross.

The head of the Donetsk regional military administration, Pavlo Kyrylenko, said earlier that a ceasefire regime was established in Mariupol on March 5 from 09:00 to 16:00, and the evacuation of the population began.