Kyiv, Europe Brief News – Foreign nationals in Ukraine have been urged by governments to leave immediately as tension escalate between Moscow and Kyiv.
However, Ukraine closed its airspace to civilian flights shortly after the start of the Russian invasion.
The flights changed their routes to steer clear of the conflict zone after the Russian targeting of airports.
Here are the latest advice from Foreign Offices in Europe and information on travel.
Contacting your embassy is the first port of call if you are a foreign national in Ukraine.
The UK Foreign Office (FCDO) states that passport-holders should register their presence in Ukraine.
“It is likely that commercial routes out of Ukraine will be severely disrupted and roads across Ukraine could be closed,” the FCDO states. “If you are in the vicinity of military activity and you cannot leave safely, you should stay indoors, away from windows, and remain alert to developments that would allow you to leave safely.”
The FCDO adds that those who decide to stay in Ukraine should remain vigilant for any potential combat operations. It should also keep their departure plans under review and ensure their travel documents are up to date.
“Before you travel inside Ukraine, you should check local measures in place under Ukraine’s State of Emergency, that roads are open and, where appropriate, that scheduled train and bus services are operating before you travel.”
Leave Without Delay
France urged its citizens to “leave without delay” hours before the full-scale attack. The US State Department has advised US citizens to “depart immediately via commercial or private means.”
They have withdrawn embassy employees from Kyiv but they are maintaining “a small consular presence in Lviv” to handle emergencies. US citizens seeking emergency assistance in Ukraine should complete this online form and the State Department will respond.
A number of other embassies have also relocated to the western Ukrainian city of Lviv. This includes Britain, Germany, and the Netherlands.
On February 1, Canada advised its nationals to leave the country. This advice remains in place and the government they say they are “working tirelessly with international partners to help ensure unhindered passage of Canadians and Permanent Residents of Canada wishing to leave Ukraine.”
