Kremlin: President Putin Allows Civilians To Leave Azovstal Mariupol, Guerrillas Must Lay Down Weapons

Kawasan Pabrik Baja is from Azovstal in Mariupol, Ukraine. (Wikimedia Commons / Chad Nagle)

JAKARTA - The Kremlin sees no problem negotiating the situation around the Azovstal factory in Mariupol, eastern Ukraine, distinguishing between civilians and insurgents.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Russian President Vladimir Putin allowed civilians out of Azovstal. Meanwhile, the guerrillas firmly asked to put down their weapons.

He made this comment in response to the statement by Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky, that Kyiv is ready for immediate negotiations on the evacuation of people from Azovstal.

"The president made it clear: civilians can get out and go wherever they want. Militants have to put down their weapons and get out too. Their lives will be saved. All the injured and sick will be provided with medical assistance", Peskov said.

"What is there to negotiate in this case?" Peskov asked.

Earlier, President Zelensky expressed Kyiv's readiness for negotiations on the evacuation of people from Azovstal Thursday, following talks with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.

On Tuesday, Guterres held negotiations with President Putin in Moscow. During the open part of the meeting, the Russian President stated that all civilians, if they really were in Azovstal, were free to deviate from the plot, and Ukrainian soldiers should release them.

The President noted that Russia's humanitarian corridor from Mariupol is active, and about 130,000-140,000 people have used it, free to go wherever they want, either to Russia or to Ukraine.

According to President Putin, if civilians are indeed present in Azovstal, then using them as human shields is a war crime by Ukrainian nationalist battalions.

President Putin also stated that Ukrainian soldiers who have laid down weapons are being held under appropriate conditions and are receiving medical assistance, if necessary. He said Russia was ready to give the United Nations and the International Red Cross access to these prisoners of war.