PRESS RELEASE : Iryna Vereshchuk: We urge the Russian side to adhere to the agreed and documented route of the humanitarian corridor from Sumy

The press release issued by the President of Ukraine on 8 March 2022.

Deputy Prime Minister – Minister for Reintegration of the Temporarily Occupied Territories of Ukraine Iryna Vereshchuk informed that the functioning of the humanitarian corridor from Sumy affected by the shelling of the Russian troops had been agreed on as of today.

“This fact was officially approved by the Russian Ministry of Defense in a letter to the International Committee of the Red Cross. Hence, both the Red Cross and we, as the party with which the opening of the humanitarian corridor was agreed, have documental approval,” she said.

Iryna Vereshchuk noted that one route for the humanitarian corridor for evacuation of people was established: Sumy, Holubivka, Lokhvytsia, Lubny, Poltava. No other routes were agreed.

However, according to the Deputy Prime Minister, the Ukrainian party has information that the Russian side is planning manipulations with the route, not agreed upon and dangerous, to force people to go the other way.

“We call on the Russian side not to resort to manipulative actions and to fulfill the promise, which is documented,” Iryna Vereshchuk emphasized.

Under this route, the evacuation of civilians from the city of Sumy to the city of Poltava is planned, including foreign students – citizens of the Republic of India and the People’s Republic of China. It is also a question of delivery of the corresponding humanitarian cargoes by the humanitarian corridor to the city of Sumy. In particular, food and essential medicines. The convoy of humanitarian goods will move to the city of Sumy along the route: Lokhvytsia, Andriyashivka, Romny, Nedryhailiv, Sumy.

“The Ukrainian side is ready to fully ensure all the way along the agreed route. We informed both the Red Cross and the Russian side of our readiness. It was agreed to start the silence regime on the route at 9 am Kyiv time. We announce the beginning of the silence regime. The time frame of the humanitarian corridor is from 9 am to 9 pm,” Iryna Vereshchuk said.

It was agreed that at 10 am the first column should start moving from the city of Sumy. Civilians will also follow the convoy in their own vehicles.

Iryna Vereshchuk emphasized: all obstacles to the movement of the relevant convoys must be removed along the entire route – both for people leaving the city of Sumy and for humanitarian goods delivered to the city of Sumy.

“A real ceasefire along the route of the humanitarian corridor will be the basis for informing the public about the possibility of evacuation,” she said.

According to her, the Ukrainian party has also sent to the Russian side and the Red Cross the developed routes for humanitarian corridors: Volnovakha – Zaporizhzhia, Mariupol – Zaporizhzhia, Kyiv and Kyiv region in the direction of Western Ukraine, as well as Kharkiv and Kharkiv region in the direction of Western Ukraine.

“We call on Russia to agree on these routes without delay, to inform the International Committee of the Red Cross and to ensure a stable ceasefire on these routes,” Iryna Vereshchuk noted.

She also appealed to the citizens not to trust unofficial media sources and reports from the Russian Defense Ministry.

“Trust the Ukrainian authorities. Listen, read the official media. Everything will be Ukraine!” the Deputy Prime Minister – Minister for Reintegration of the Temporarily Occupied Territories of Ukraine stressed.