World News | Evacuations Halted in Ukraine Area Where Cease-fire Pledged

Lviv, Mar 5 (AP) The Ukrainian president's office says civilian evacuations have halted in an area of the country where Russian defense officials had announced a cease-fire.

Kyrylo Tymoshenko, the deputy head of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's office, said the evacuation effort was stopped because the city of Mariupol remained under fire on Saturday.

Also Read | Ukraine Claims 10,000 Russians Killed Since Beginning of War.

“The Russian side is not holding to the ceasefire and has continued firing on Mariupol itself and on its surrounding area," he said.

"Talks with the Russian Federation are ongoing regarding setting up a ceasefire and ensuring a safe humanitarian corridor.”

Also Read | Russia Declares Temporary Ceasefire in Ukrainian Cities of Mariupol and Volnovakha for Evacuation of Civilians.

The Russian Defense Ministry said earlier in a statement it had agreed on evacuation routes with Ukrainian forces for Mariupol, a strategic port in the southeast, and for the eastern city of Volnovakha.

But a city official reported that shelling continued in his area on Saturday despite the deal, a sign of the fragility of efforts to stop fighting across the country.(AP)

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)