Ukraine, Russia agree on evacuating women, children, elderly from Mariupol: Ukrainian deputy PM

Residents shop at a market in Mariupol on April 19, 2022. Ukraine and Russia have reached a preliminary agreement on establishing a humanitarian corridor to evacuate women, children and the elderly from the embattled city of Mariupol, Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk said on Wednesday. (Photo by Victor/Xinhua)

KIEV, April 20 (Xinhua) -- Ukraine and Russia have reached a preliminary agreement on establishing a humanitarian corridor to evacuate women, children and the elderly from the embattled city of Mariupol, Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk said on Wednesday.

Mariupol's residents will be evacuated to Ukraine's southern city of Zaporizhzhia through the Berdyansk town, which is controlled by Russian forces, Vereshchuk wrote on Telegram.

Meanwhile, Vadym Boichenko, mayor of Mariupol, said on national television that Ukraine hopes to send 90 buses to the besieged city to evacuate about 6,000 women, children and elderly people.