The humanitarian corridor from Mariupol is open daily, and evacuating citizens have the opportunity to independently choose the direction of departure - to Russia or to the Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics (DPR and LPR) or to the territory currently controlled by Ukraine, Colonel-General Mikhail Mizintsev, head of the National Defense Management Center of the Russian Federation, told reporters on May 3. "In accordance with the decision of the leadership of the Russian Federation, the Armed Forces of Russia from March 4, 2022, in strict compliance with the norms of international law and for purely humane purposes, daily from 08:00 to 20:00 Moscow time without any restrictions open a humanitarian corridor in the Mariupol direction for the evacuation of civilians, primarily women, children, elderly citizens in any direction chosen by them," The general said.

    The military commander said that along this humanitarian corridor, residents of Mariupol have the opportunity to travel "both to the territory of Russia, the Donetsk and Lugansk people's republics, and to the areas controlled by the Kiev authorities." Earlier, French President Emmanuel Macron in telephone conversations with Russian President Vladimir Putin repeatedly called on Russia to continue evacuation from the Azovstal plant in Mariupol. Macron has consistently stressed that the evacuation should be carried out "in coordination with humanitarian organizations, giving evacuees a choice of place of arrival in accordance with international humanitarian law." Thus, the calls of the French president were heard and almost completely satisfied.