The Russian Ministry of Defense announced on Saturday that offensive operations in Ukraine would resume from 18:00 Moscow time “due to the unwillingness of the Ukrainian side to influence the nationalists or extend the ceasefire.”
“Not a single civilian was able to leave Mariupol and Volnovakha along the security corridors. The nationalist battalions took advantage of the ceasefire to strengthen their positions,” the statement said.
The Russian military has said it is halting its offensive at 10am local time on Saturday so residents can leave the encircled Azov Sea city of Mariupol in the Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR). The city has been controlled by Ukrainian forces since 2014.
Another humanitarian corridor was established for the DPR town of Volnovakha, also controlled by the Ukrainians.
Moscow said that safe passages had been agreed on with Ukraine. Russians and Ukrainians met for a second round of peace talks in Belarus on Thursday.