Russia evacuated 945 people from Mariupol on Saturday

Russia evacuated 945 civilians eastward from the flashpoint Ukrainian city of Mariupol in the past day, bringing the total number of evacuees up to 139,678, the head of the Russian National Defense Control Center, Mikhail Mizintsev, said on Saturday.

"From Mariupol, via a humanitarian corridor toward the east, as well as without Ukrainian participation, we have already saved 139,678 people from the outrage created by the nationalists, including 945 in the past 24 hours," Mizintsev said.

The number of civilians evacuated to Russia from dangerous regions of Ukraine and the Donetsk and Luhansk people's republics since the start of the special military operation rose to 837,157 on Saturday after 15,837 people were brought to safety over the past day.

Mizintsev also stated that the Ukrainian nationalists were holding hostage 6,198 foreign nationals from nine countries.

On February 24, Russia launched a military operation in Ukraine after the breakaway republics of Donetsk and Luhansk appealed for help in defending themselves against Ukrainian provocations. (ANI/Sputnik)

( With inputs from ANI )