What is a humanitarian corridor, the measure agreed upon during the second meeting between Russia and Ukraine

The second round of Russian-Ukrainian negotiations since Moscow launched its military offensive against Ukraine eight days ago concluded on Thursday with the agreement to create humanitarian corridors in some areas to evacuate civilians and declare a ceasefire in those places to allow it.

“The second round of talks is over. Unfortunately, Ukraine does not yet have the results it needs. There are only decisions on the organization of humanitarian corridors,” Ukrainian presidential adviser Mikhailo Podolyak said on Twitter.

“We discussed in detail the humanitarian aspects because many cities are currently surrounded” by Russian forces and there is a “dramatic situation of food, medicine and evacuation possibilities,” he added.

At least one million refugees have fled Ukraine for neighboring countries since the start of the invasion and millions of others have become internally displaced, UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi said.

What is a humanitarian corridor

“Humanitarian assistance can pass, if necessary, through the so-called ‘humanitarian corridors’, which must be respected and protected by the competent authorities of the parties concerned and, if necessary, under the authority of the United Nations”, according to according to principle number 10 of the Principles Governing the Right to Humanitarian Assistance, approved by the Council of the International Institute of Humanitarian Law in 1993.

The Humanitarian corridors are corridors established with the purpose of facilitating circulation, free from armed attacksthe passage of humanitarian convoys as well as victims of armed conflicts and humanitarian personnel.

The United Nations Organization proposed for the first time to put into operation humanitarian corridors through the resolution of December 14, 1990 of the General Assembly, entitled ‘Humanitarian assistance to the victims of natural disasters and similar emergency situations’.

Depending on the means that are deployed, they are differentiated into land, sea or air.

How do they work

There are five limits to establish humanitarian corridors.

1. The time that you have the right to transit relief aid.
2. Define the space, the route or corridor through which the humanitarian aid will be accessed must be delimited.
3. The care, medications, emergency materials or food to be sent must be specified.
4. Humanitarian corridors may never threaten the peace, order or security of the State in which they are established.
5. In the ethical limit, respect for impartiality is required and that there is no diversion of aid.

What kind of humanitarian corridors are there?

There are several types of corridors and they are divided according to the purpose and means that are deployed.

• Provision of humanitarian aid.
• Evacuation of people and return.
• Repatriation of refugees or displaced persons.

This last week, after the Russian invasion of Ukraine, there has been a mass exodus of civilians from different cities in Ukraine, especially to Poland, Romania and Hungary, three of the seven countries with which Ukraine borders. (I)