In order to provide humanitarian corridors for civilians, Russia declared a temporary cease-fire in two Ukrainian cities at 07:00 GMT.
"The Russian side proclaims a ceasefire and opens humanitarian corridors for the escape of civilians from Mariupol and Volnovakha today, at 10 a.m. Moscow time," the Russian Defense Ministry informed reporters on Saturday.
The humanitarian corridors and departure routes have been agreed upon with the Ukrainian side, according to the ministry.
This comes after the ministry described a disastrous humanitarian situation across most of Ukraine, with the cities of Kiev, Kharkov, Sumy, Chernigov, and Mariupol among the worst-affected.
About 200,000 people are attempting to flee Mariupol, according to Ukrainian presidential advisor Mikhail Podolyak, while "20,000 people also want to leave the city of Volnovakha in the Donetsk region."
Forces from the Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics (DPR and LPR) are currently blockading Volnovakha and Mariupol, one of Ukraine's main ports, according to Sputnik.
Mariupol's authorities have stated that they intend to use the ceasefire to restore the city's crucial infrastructure as well as provide it with essential food and medicine.
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