Russia says it will open the way for two Ukrainian cities to leave

The refugees, most of them children and women, arrived at the Medicaid border in Poland after fleeing the Russian invasion of Ukraine. March 5, 2022.

Russia has said it will observe a ceasefire in the vicinity of two Ukrainian cities to allow residents to evacuate safely.

Russia's Defense Ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov said: "Today, March 5, 1000 hours Moscow time (0600 hours GMT), Russia is declaring a ceasefire and opening the humanitarian transit route for civilians to leave Mariupol and Valnovkha. Humanitarian routes and exit routes have been agreed upon with Ukraine. "

The exit from Mariupol will remain open for five hours, the ministry said, quoting city officials.

U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken said Russian forces were "increasingly resorting to brutality in Ukraine, including targeting civilians."

He made the remarks after Russia's attack on a nuclear power plant in Ukraine. The attack set fire to a building on the premises of the power plant. It is the largest nuclear power plant in Europe.

Speaking to reporters ahead of a meeting with EU foreign ministers in Brussels, Blinken said: "We are collectively confronted with what is [Russia] President [Vladimir] Putin's preferred war: an unprovoked, irrational, and a war that has dire consequences."

"We are committed to doing everything we can to stop it," he said. However, he denied the allegations in a statement issued Friday stating "Similar, baseless allegations concerning Ukraine's intelligence have been made more than once.

"We have a responsibility to make sure that the war does not spread beyond Ukraine. A no-fly zone could trigger an all-out war in Europe," he said.