Operation to evacuate civilians from Ukrainian cities didn't yield expected results on Wed through Kyiv's fault - Russian Defense Ministry

MOSCOW. March 9 (Interfax) - The operation to evacuate civilians from Ukrainian cities scheduled for Wednesday did not yield the expected results through the fault of the Ukrainian authorities, head of Russia's National Defense Control Center Mikhail Mizintsev said at a press briefing on Wednesday.

"Regrettably, the thoroughly thought-out operation to open humanitarian corridors and to evacuate civilians and foreign citizens currently in conditions of a humanitarian catastrophe did not yield the expected results today through the fault of the Kyiv authorities," Mizintsev said.

People in Mariupol "have found themselves in a catastrophic situation as a result of the monstrous actions of nationalists and the city administration," he said.

"The humanitarian situation throughout Ukraine is continuing to rapidly deteriorate," Mizintsev said.