Evacuation halted as Ukraine blames Russia for continued shelling

A ceasefire was scheduled for Saturday morning in the strategic port city of Mariupol and in Volnovakha to allow for humanitarian evacuations. But the rescue operation has stalled due to reports that Russian shelling continues.

“The Russian side does not observe the ceasefire and continues to shell Mariupol itself and its environs,” said Kyrylo Tymoshenko, deputy head of the Office of the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky. “Negotiations with the Russian Federation are ongoing regarding the establishment of a ceasefire and the provision of a safe humanitarian corridor.”

Meanwhile, the Russian media outlet RIA Novosti published a statement from the Russian Defense Ministry that the shooting came from inside both settlements at Russian positions.

Fierce fighting has been going on in Mariupol for several days. In the hospital, one father was seen sobbing over the body of his 16-year-old son — a death that could have been prevented, Ukraine insists, had NATO imposed a no-fly zone over Ukraine. On Friday, he decided against it so as not to risk a direct row with Russia, according to CBS News’ Chris Livesey.

Ukrainian President Zelensky said their hands were covered in blood. “From this day forward, all the people who die will die because of you,” he said.

Russia claims it does not target civilians by posting videos of missiles being fired at precision targets. But on the ground, the evidence tells a different story.

Now front-line battles are approaching the capital of Ukraine, Kiev. And Russian tactics are getting more diabolical. The NATO Secretary General accused them of using banned weapons.

“We saw the use of cluster bombs, which would be a violation of international law,” said Jens Stoltenberg.

Even nuclear power plants are under attack. US officials said the world narrowly escaped disaster during Russia’s siege of Europe’s largest nuclear power plant, which Ukraine says could have been 10 times worse than the Chernobyl disaster.

Photos: Inside the Russian invasion of Ukraine

Photo: Inside the Russian invasion of Ukraine 60 photos

The Associated Press contributed to this report.