Russia to open humanitarian corridor for civilian evacuation in Azot plant

MOSCOW, June 14 (Xinhua) -- A humanitarian corridor will be opened on Wednesday to evacuate civilians in the Azot chemical plant in the strategic city of Sievierodonetsk in eastern Ukraine, the Russian Defense Ministry said Tuesday.

Mikhail Mizintsev, head of the Russian National Defense Control Center, said that Russian armed forces are ready to "carry out a humanitarian operation to evacuate civilians guided by humanitarian principles."

From 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Moscow time (0500 to 1700 GMT) on Wednesday, a humanitarian corridor will be opened in the northern direction towards the city of Svatovo, he added.

Mizintsev urged Ukrainian armed forces to "stop any hostilities and release the civilians they are holding through this humanitarian corridor."

He also urged the authorities in Kiev to display prudence, and to give appropriate instructions to their forces to end resistance and leave the territory of the Azot plant.