Second group of Lebanese citizens fleeing Ukraine arrives in Beirut

BEIRUT — A second group of Lebanese citizens fleeing the Russian invasion of Ukraine arrived in Beirut on Friday morning, two days after the first group had arrived.

Here’s what we know:

    • Lebanese Ambassador to Romania Rana Mokaddem told L’Orient Today that a second repatriation was imminent. Mokaddem explained that travel for 50 evacuees was funded by the government, 70 were paid for by Lebanese businessman Mohamad Murad and 10 were covered by the Khalil family. Other evacuees covered their own costs, the ambassador added.

    • “We entered Romania with the precious help of the Romanian and Lebanese Embassies,” a young Lebanese citizen said on local television channel LBC on his arrival to Beirut Rafik Hariri International Airport. Another evacuee recounted his journey, saying “we left Kharkiv, which was heavily affected by the bombardment, on Monday. We took a 30-hour train ride to reach the border, and finally, we’re here.”

    • Lebanese authorities initially struggled to evacuate their citizens from Ukraine. The Foreign Ministry uploaded a form by which Lebanese citizens residing in Ukraine who wanted to leave the country could register themselves for evacuation.

    • Dubbed a “special military operation” by the Russian government, the invasion of Ukraine has caused hundreds of deaths and thousands of injuries to military personnel and civilians.