Ukraine postpones civilian evacuations from Mariupol, accusing Russia of breaking cease-fire
Russian forces continued to shell Ukraine's strategic port city of Mariupol on Saturday despite agreeing to a temporary cease-fire to allow civilians to evacuate, according to the regional governor.
"Due to the fact that the Russians do not observe the regime of silence and continue shelling of Mariupol and its environs, for security reasons, the evacuation of the population has been postponed," Donetsk Oblast Gov. Pavlo Kyrylenko said in a statement posted on social media. "We ask people to leave the gathering places and go to the shelters. Additional information about the evacuation will be posted soon. Police officers will also use loudspeakers to inform the city's residents."
The Associated Press reported that Kyrylo Tymoshenko, deputy head of the Ukrainian president's office, confirmed that the evacuation effort in Mariupol was stopped because the city remained under fire on Saturday.
"The Russian side is not holding to the ceasefire and has continued firing on Mariupol itself and on its surrounding area," Tymoshenko said, according to AP. "Talks with the Russian Federation are ongoing regarding setting up a cease-fire and ensuring a safe humanitarian corridor."
![PHOTO: People take shelter inside a building in Mariupol, Ukraine, Feb. 27, 2022.](https://s.abcnews.com/images/International/ukraine-russia-invasion-mariupol-07-ap-llr-220227_1645979834661_hpMain.jpg)
Earlier Saturday, the Russian Ministry of Defense announced that it has agreed with Ukrainian forces to open humanitarian corridors in Mariupol, a strategic port in the southeast, and in the eastern city of Volnovakha between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. Moscow time. The deal was reached during the second round of talks between Russian and Ukrainian delegations earlier this week.
Mariupol has been under ferocious, indiscriminate bombardment with heavy artillery and missile strikes for days, causing the city to sometimes lose power and water. Local officials have described bodies strewn across the streets because authorities are unable to collect them.
-ABC News' Patrick Reevell