Putin blames ‘nationalists’ for derailing evacuation of civilians from Ukrainian cities

A Ukrainian Territorial Defence Forces member holds an NLAW anti-tank weapon, in the outskirts of Kyiv, Ukraine, March 9, 2022.  (AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky)
A Ukrainian Territorial Defence Forces member holds an NLAW anti-tank weapon, in the outskirts of Kyiv, Ukraine, March 9, 2022. (AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky)

Russian President Vladimir Putin blames Ukrainian “nationalists” for hampering the evacuation of civilians from besieged Ukrainian cities.

The Kremlin says that Putin discussed the situation in Ukraine in today’s phone call with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, with a “special emphasis given to the humanitarian aspects.” It says that Putin told Scholz about Russian “efforts to organize humanitarian corridors for civilians to exit areas of fighting and attempts by militants from nationalist units to hamper safe evacuation of people.”

Ukrainian officials say that the continuous Russian shelling has derailed efforts to evacuate civilians from areas affected by fighting.

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