Seven people, including a child, were killed while attempting to flee Ukraine after Russian troops opened fire on an evacuation convoy on Saturday (March 12).
The State Service of Special Communications and Information Protection of Ukraine confirmed the incident in the village of Peremoha on its verified Twitter account.
"During an attempt to evacuate from the village of Peremoha (Baryshivskyi district, Kyiv oblast) to the village of Gostroluchcha along an agreed "green" corridor, the occupiers shot a column of civilians, consisting exclusively of women and children," the department confirmed.
SSSCIP said it was unable to make contact with the survivors on the evacuation convoy in order to provide aid after the incident.
More than 2 million people have reportedly evacuated Ukraine amid Russia's ongoing invasion of the neighboring country as both sides agreed to a cease-fire to allow more civilians to escape, NBC News reported on Wednesday (March 8).
Putin announced his country would conduct military operations in Eastern Ukraine during an NBC News translation of a speech addressing the Russian population prior to sunrise on February 24 in Moscow.
The announcement served as the final action ahead of an attack by Putin and the Russian military, which the U.S. and European allies to the neighboring Ukraine have attempted to prevent from taking place through diplomatic discussions.
A Ukraine interior minister confirmed to NBC News via text message that "cruise and ballistic missile strikes" were already underway shortly after Putin's announcement.
NBC News correspondent Erin McLaughlin said explosions could be heard from her live shot in Kyiv, Ukraine's capital city, at 6:00 a.m. local time.
More than 1,000 protesters were reportedly arrested during anti-war protests throughout Russia amid President Putin's announcement to conduct military operations and ensuing attack on Ukraine, BNO News reported.