Ukraine on Tuesday started the evacuation of civlians from the northeastern city of Sumy and Irpin, Reuters reported quoting Kyiv officials. The evacuations started after both the Russian and Ukrainian officials agreed to set up humanitarian corridors to allow civilians out of areas seized by the Russian forces.
On Monday, the Ukrainian authorities during the third round of talks with their Russian counterparts had rejected an offer for humanitarian corridors that would lead refugees from the attacked cities into Russia and Belarus.
“The two sides will continue talks on ceasefire,” Ukrainian president’s advisor Mykhailo Podolyak had said in a video statement.
The evacuation process comes amid heavy fighting between the two forces for the 13th consecutive day. Nine people including two children were killed in an airstrike in Sumy, news art reported.
Sumy is the city which is witnessing ferocious fighting. A humanitarian corridor from the city to Poltava is set up to evacuate the citizens, including Chinese, Indians and other foreigners.
“Enemy planes insidiously attacked apartment buildings,” the Ukraine rescue service officials said on Telegram after arriving on the scene at 11:00 pm.
Sumy, 350 kilometres (218 miles) east of Kyiv, has experienced heavy fighting for days, but no other details about the attack were immediately available.
The Ukrainian military intelligence authorities claimed that a Russian general was killed near Kharkiv, the second Russian commander to be killed in action.
Major General Vitaly Gerasimov, first deputy commander of Russia’s 41st army, was killed on Monday during the fighting with the Ukrainian forces.