Russian defense minister discusses humanitarian corridors in Ukraine with UN chief

Russia’s defense minister has spoken to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres about humanitarian corridors in Ukraine.

Sergei Shoigu tells Guterres in Friday’s call that the Russian military has created safe corridors for civilians to exit areas blocked by the Russian troops, but charged that Ukrainian “nationalists” have prevented them from leaving, according to the Defense Ministry readout.

Shoigu alleges that “nationalist and neo-Nazi forces, which also include foreign mercenaries, have used civilians as shields,” a claim that couldn’t be independently verified.

Russian and Ukrainian negotiators on Thursday held the second of two rounds of talks, reaching a tentative agreement on setting up safe corridors to allow civilians to leave besieged Ukrainian cities and the delivery of humanitarian supplies. They are yet to iron out detailed provisions for those corridors.