A humanitarian corridor is agreed on for Mariupol, a city under siege.

Since the start of the war, Russian forces have diminished the once thriving Ukrainian city of Mariupol to a shell of its former self, with thousands of residents caught in the fighting and limited access to food, water and electricity.

On Thursday, there were signs that a humanitarian corridor to allow residents out — and aid in — had been arranged, possibly offering a modicum of relief to a city whose prewar population was about 430,000.

The International Red Cross said the corridor could begin on Friday, after an announcement by Russia’s Defense Ministry that a cease-fire in the city on Thursday would start at 10 a.m. local time and allow people to leave to the west.

The Red Cross said on Twitter that its team in Ukraine was “ready to facilitate the safe passage of civilians” out of Mariupol on Friday and to bring aid in, but that all parties involved must agree to exact terms for the “critical” operation. Read more

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