Amid neo-nazis killing spree in the city and Russian bombardment. Russia has open humanitarian corridors eastward and westward out of the city. Ukiranian are urged to lay down arms and leave by Mon 5 AM Moscow time. Of course Ukraine's Deputy PM Iryna Vereshchuk already rejected, "There can be no question of any surrender, laying down of arms."

Russia demands Ukrainian forces lay down arms in Mariupol

21 Mar 2022 06:03AM (Updated: 21 Mar 2022 06:25AM)

LONDON: Russia on Sunday (Mar 20) called on Ukrainian forces to lay down their arms in the eastern port city of Mariupol where Moscow said a "terrible humanitarian catastrophe" was unfolding.

"Lay down your arms," Colonel-General Mikhail Mizintsev, the director of the Russian National Center for Defense Management, said in a briefing distributed by the defence ministry.

"A terrible humanitarian catastrophe has developed," Mizintsev said. "All who lay down their arms are guaranteed safe passage out of Mariupol."

Mariupol has suffered some of the heaviest bombardment since Russia invaded Ukraine on Feb 24. Many of its 400,000 residents remain trapped in the city with little if any food, water and power.

Mizintsev said humanitarian corridors for civilians would be opened eastwards and westwards out of Mariupol at 10am Moscow time on Monday.

Ukraine has until 5am Moscow time to respond to the offer on humanitarian corridors and laying down arms, he said.

Russia and Ukraine have traded blame for the failure to open such corridors in recent weeks.

Mizintsev, without providing evidence, said that Ukrainian "bandits", "neo-Nazis" and nationalists had engaged in "mass terror" and gone on a killing spree in the city.

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