Russia call for temporary ceasefire in two Ukraine cities

The latest from the conflict.

Russia's military is observing a ceasefire in two areas of Ukraine to allow civilians to evacuate the cities, Russian State media has said. Russian troops are still putting up a good fight in Ukraine as Russia's RIA news agency quoted the Russian defence ministry as saying the following. They said that the ministry confirmed that its units have stopped firing and opened humanitarian corridors near the cities of Volnovakha and Mariupol, which were encircled by Russian troops. "Today, March 5, from 10 am Moscow time, the Russian side declares a regime of silence and opens humanitarian corridors for the exit of civilians from Mariupol and Volnovakha," it said. The announcement come after Mariupol's mayor Vadim Boychenko said the city was under "blockade" by Russia after days of "ruthless" attacks. Russian troops have cut off Mariupol's electricity, food, water, heating and transportation in the depths of winter, which many are coining it to be similar to the Nazi blockade of Leningrad in World War II. "For now, we are looking for solutions to humanitarian problems and all possible ways to get Mariupol out of the blockade," Boychenko said as he called for a ceasefire and a humanitarian corridor for food and medicine. Since Russia invaded Ukraine on 24 February, hundreds of civilians and soldiers have been killed, including both Ukrainian and Russian. On Thursday night, a fire broke out at Europe's largest nuclear plant - the Zaporizhzhia plant in Ukraine and was promptly extinguished. According to CNN, the fire occurred after Russian forces fired at a training building outside of the main complex yesterday. Firefighters worked on getting the fire under control and it was extinguished this morning. In a telegram, Ukraine's State Emergency Services said that there were no injuries or deaths recorded.