Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko has ordered the creation of a humanitarian corridor to evacuate civilians from the country's crisis-hit eastern regions.

Earlier on Tuesday, Poroshenko ordered security agencies to organise transport and relocation to help civilians leave areas affected by fighting. His office made the announcement in a brief statement published online, but gave no details on where the civilians could be relocated.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Russia welcomes the decision, calling it a step in the right direction. A member of the breakaway People's Council of the Donetsk People's Republic said a humanitarian corridor should be created with Russia.

"If they really want to open the corridor, let them open it and stop preventing us from getting humanitarian aid and preventing the refugees from passing through to safe areas. The corridor for safe passage to the Russian Federation should exist, because people don't trust Ukraine after everything that has happened, after all the bombing and shooting." said Miroslav Rudenko, Council Member, "Donetsk People's Republic".