Authorities of Australia and New Zealand urged citizens to leave Ukraine
Photo: Gleb Garanich / Reuters
The Australian authorities called on their citizens to leave the territory of Ukraine. Prime Minister Scott Morrison's message was published by news.com.au
The politician noted that a “very dangerous situation” has developed in the Eastern European country, and for the sake of their own safety, citizens should try to leave Ukraine. At the same time, he added, his call is only advice, and the decision should be made by the Australians themselves.
The communiqué from the New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that citizens were advised to “immediately” leave Ukraine. This should be done while “there are still commercial flights that can take them home.” The diplomatic department warned that the country's ability to provide consular assistance in Ukraine is limited due to the lack of a diplomatic mission in Kiev.
Earlier, Norway, Latvia and the Netherlands called on their citizens to return from Ukraine due to the “serious and unpredictable” security situation. The Japanese authorities also sent a corresponding appeal to fellow citizens. The recommendation not to visit Ukraine “due to the increased threat of Russian military operations and COVID-19” was also issued by the US State Department. South Korea has completely banned its citizens from traveling to this country since February 13. In addition, the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs intends to evacuate the families of diplomats from Ukraine. The British Foreign Office also announced the removal of ambassadors and urged citizens to refrain from traveling to Ukraine.
