Russian Defense Ministry accuses Ukrainian forces of taking advantage of ceasefire for regrouping

MOSCOW. March 5 (Interfax) - Russia has met all terms and conditions set by Ukraine regarding the safe exit of civilians from Mariupol and Volnovakha, but Ukrainian Armed Forces units have taken advantage of this pause for regrouping, Russian National Defense Control Center chief Mikhail Mizintsev said.

"It's been established based on data recordings that no humanitarian columns were formed, and on the contrary, the ceasefire agreement was actively taken advantage of for intensively regrouping Ukrainian Armed Forces units and nationalistic battalions on defensive positions and throughout Mariupol, as well as for relocating weapons and military equipment to better positions," Mizintsev said.

"An identical situation has also been observed in Volnovakha," he said.

"Despite all the grave consequences of the disruption of today's humanitarian operation, we stand ready to keep working patiently and insistently with representatives of Ukraine and international organizations to immediately resolve the critical humanitarian situation," Mizintsev said.