The Russian Defense Ministry announced Tuesday that a humanitarian corridor would be opened to evacuate inhabitants from the Azot chemical factory in the critical city of Sievierodonetsk in eastern Ukraine.

Mikhail Mizintsev, head of the Russian National Defense Control Center, stated that the Russian armed forces are prepared to "carry out a humanitarian operation to evacuate civilians guided by humanitarian principles."

He said a humanitarian corridor would be opened from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Moscow time (0500 to 1700 GMT) on Wednesday in the northern direction towards the city of Svatovo.

Mizintsev encouraged the Ukrainian armed forces to "stop any hostilities and release the civilians they are holding through this humanitarian corridor."

In addition, he encouraged the authorities in Kyiv to exercise caution and direct their men to cease resistance and evacuate the Azot plant's grounds.