Passengers at Boryspil airport in a suburb of Kiev, Ukraine, on Sunday. (Credit: Sergei Supinsky/AFP)
BEIRUT — The Lebanese Foreign Ministry advised Sunday Lebanese nationals in Ukraine to “voluntarily and quickly leave the country until the tensions subside and things return to normal,” as concern mounts that a Russian offensive against Kiev is imminent.
Here’s what we know:
• In a statement reported by the state-run National News Agency, the ministry also “advised Lebanese who wish to travel to Ukraine to postpone their flights until the situation recovers.”
• The ministry also called on “Lebanese students enrolled in Ukrainian universities to coordinate in advance with the management of their institutions” to ensure the continuation of their studies. "The Lebanese Embassy in Kiev will also contact the universities to present possible facilitations," the statement continued.
• On Saturday, the ministry had asked Lebanese nationals residing in Ukraine to be “extremely cautious” in light of the prospects of a Russian offensive. The ministry had called on its nationals to contact the Lebanese Embassy in case of need at the following numbers:
– 00380636000022 (Tony Gemayel)
– 00380632926000 (Assaad Hakim)
– 00380980182930 (Elena Zrenchenko, for Ukrainian speakers)
• On Friday, the United States called on its citizens to leave Ukraine as soon as possible, a call that was followed by many other countries, including the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Canada, Australia, Italy, Canada, Japan, Germany, Norway and Israel. Russia has added to the concern by reducing its diplomatic staff, arguing possible Western or Ukrainian “provocation.”