(Reuters) - Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk said on Thursday that people would be evacuated from the besieged port city of Mariupol on Friday at 1200 local time (0900 GMT).

       Vereshchuk made the announcement in a social media post. She said people would gather at the "Port City" shopping centre but gave no further details.

       (Reporting by David Ljunggren and Ron Popeski; Editing by Chris Reese)