Russia to open Ukraine 'humanitarian routes', but fears persist

Russia planned to open humanitarian corridors in Ukraine Tuesday for civilians to flee besieged cities, but Kyiv insisted the move was a publicity stunt and people would not be able to escape.

Moscow's offer to evacuate residents was condemned because most of the routes led into Russia or its ally Belarus, and as the invading forces maintained a devastating shelling campaign.

The Ukrainian military said Tuesday, nearly two weeks into the war, that Russia was ramping up its troops and equipment around the main conflict zones.

The invasion has sparked the biggest war in Europe and the continent's largest refugee crisis since World War II, while the West has responded with sanctions on Russia that have reverberated around the global economy.

Russia's defence ministry said it would open the "humanitarian corridors" from 0700 GMT Tuesday, subject to Ukraine's approval, listing routes from the capital Kyiv as well as the cities of Mariupol, Kharkiv and Sumy -- all of which have been under heavy attack. 

Ukraine did not initially respond to the offer.

But Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky accused Russia of reneging on previous escape route agreements, and trying to stop people by planting explosives on roads.

"There was an agreement on humanitarian corridors. Did that work? Russian tanks worked in its place, Russian Grads (multiple rocket launchers), Russian mines," Zelensky said in a video posted on Telegram.

Accusing Moscow of "cynicism", Zelensky also said Russian troops destroyed buses that were due to evacuate civilians from the combat zones.

"They ensure that a small corridor to the occupied territory is open for a few dozen people. Not so much towards Russia as towards the propagandists, directly towards the television cameras," he said.

French President Emmanuel Macron also condemned the Russian plan.

"All this is not serious, it is moral and political cynicism, which I find intolerable," Macron told French broadcaster LCI.

"I do not know many Ukrainians who want to go to Russia," he added, saying full ceasefires to protect civilians were needed rather than corridors.

Addressing the Security Council, the UN's top humanitarian official Martin Griffiths also said civilians must be allowed to leave in the direction they wish.