Russia says it has completed all harbour mine-clearing operations and is able to guarantee that ships wishing to leave the port of Mariupol have a safe corridor to their respective destinations.
The humanitarian corridor consists of a safe shipping lane that is 1.5 miles long and 2 miles wide.
Meanwhile, pressure is mounting for grain exports, which have been stalled for some time due to the closure of Ukrainian ports of call, to be safeguarded as well. With the exception of a small amount of goods, shipped by train to destination markets, most volumes are now stuck in silos and in danger of deteriorating.
In order to avoid a looming food crisis, many countries would like to sign an international agreement with Moscow to open safe corridors for crucial commodities too.
Translation by Giles Foster