Moscow, Mar 14 (IANS): Colonel-General Mikhail Mizintsev, head of the National Defense Control Center of the Russian Federation, said on Monday that the successful operation to unblock Mariupol made it possible to open humanitarian corridors and begin mass evacuation of the population.

"The successful operation to unblock the city made it possible today to open humanitarian corridors for the exit of civilians and to begin mass evacuation of the population, which had been held hostage by neo-Nazis for a long time," Mizintsev said, RT reported.

He also announced the destruction of almost all neo-Nazi firing points that were equipped in the suburban areas of Mariupol.

In addition, he reported the liquidation of the main forces of neo-Nazis in positions in residential areas along the perimeter of Mariupol.

He said almost all the neo-Nazi firing points that were equipped in the suburban areas of Mariupol had been destroyed.

As emphasised in the Russian Ministry of Defense, 200 buses have already been organised to take people out of the city. Fifty buses have arrived in the city and are ready to pick up people.

Mariupol remained one of the hottest spots on the map of Russia's special operation in Ukraine. Russia said the ‘neo-Nazis' who settled here held civilians hostage and sabotaged the work of any humanitarian corridors.