New Delhi: Civilian evacuations have been suspended in a region of Ukraine where Russian defence authorities had proclaimed a cease-fire, according to the Ukrainian president's office.
The evacuation attempt was halted on Saturday, according to Kyrylo Tymoshenko, the deputy director of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's administration, since Mariupol was still under fire, news agency Associated Press reported.
"The Russian side is not holding to the ceasefire and has continued firing on Mariupol itself and on its surrounding area," he was quoted by AP in its report.
"Talks with the Russian Federation are ongoing regarding setting up a ceasefire and ensuring a safe humanitarian corridor," he further adds.
The Russian Defense Ministry stated earlier in a statement that it had reached an agreement with Ukrainian troops on evacuation routes for Mariupol, a vital port in the southeast, and Volnovakha, a city in the east.
Despite the agreement, a local official said that shelling resumed in his region on Saturday, highlighting the fragile nature of efforts to end violence across the nation.
In a statement, Russia's defence ministry said it had declared a truce and opened "humanitarian corridors" to allow residents to flee Mariupol and Volnovakha. Despite the truce, Mariupol deputy mayor Serhiy Orlov told the BBC that "the Russians continue to bomb us and employ artillery."
The local council reported in a Telegram message that combat was also taking place in the Zaporizhzhia area, where the humanitarian corridor comes to an end.
Around 800,000 Ukrainian Refugees Have Entered Poland: Border officials
More than 787,300 individuals have entered Poland as a result of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, according to the Polish Border Guard.
It claimed that 106,400 migrants entered from Ukraine on Friday alone in a tweet. According to Deputy Foreign Minister Pawel Szefernaker, this is the greatest number since the invasion began 10 days ago.
(With AP Inputs)