Ukraine hopes 'humanitarian corridor' from Mariupol will open

FILE PHOTO: The aftermath of Russian artillery shelling on a residential area in Mariupol where a rocket hit a house, according to the Armed Forces of Ukraine, during the Russian invasion of Ukraine, in Mariupol, Ukraine, is seen in this screengrab from a video uploaded on social media on March 10, 2022. Armed Forces of Ukraine/Handout via REUTERS

Ukraine hopes a "humanitarian corridor" will be opened successfully for civilians to leave the besieged southern port city of Mariupol on Friday, Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk said.

Residents have been cowering under fire, and without power or water, in the strategic ally important city of over 400,000 people for more than a week and attempts to arrange a local ceasefire and safe passage out have failed repeatedly.