Russia says almost 18,000 people evacuated from 'danger zones' in Ukraine

The Russian military evacuated 18,182 people from dangerous areas in Ukraine, the Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republic in the past 24 hours, Head of Russia’s National Defense Management Center Colonel General Mikhail Mizintsev said on Thursday.

"The Russian Armed Forces evacuated 18,182 people from dangerous areas in Ukraine, the Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republic in the past 24 hours, without any assistance from the Ukrainian authorities. There were 3,412 children among the evacuees. A total of 527,607 people have been evacuated since the start of the special military operation, including 108,219 kids," he specified, adding that 115,347 people had been saved from Mariupol.

According to Mizintsev, 64,227 private cars have so far crossed the Russian border, with 1,845 of them entering Russia in the past day.

"Humanitarian corridors in Kiev, Chernigov, Sumy, Kharkov and Mariupol areas are open every day at 10:00 am, with a humanitarian corridor in every direction leading to Russia and another one leading to western Ukraine through areas controlled by Kiev," the Russian general pointed out. Besides, Ukraine announced another four humanitarian corridors in the Zaporozhye direction, none of them leading to Russia.

"The Russian Armed Forces, as well as the forces of the Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics, suspend the use of weapons along all routes, including those outlined by Ukraine," Mizintsev stressed.