No safe paths out of Ukraine for Lebanese nationals: Beirut

BEIRUT

Lebanon’s Foreign Minister Abdallah Bou Habib said Saturday there are no safe paths out of Ukraine for Lebanese nationals stranded in the country.

“The Lebanese who are currently present there are advised to stay in safe places until things clear up,” he said following his meeting with Prime Minister Najib Mikati.

He added that Lebanese nationals who have sought refuge in Poland and Romania will be evacuated “at a date to be determined later.”

"As for the Lebanese who have decided to head to the border crossings at their responsibility, they are urged to take utmost care and caution in order to preserve their safety," Bou Habib added.

Estimates put the number of Lebanese nationals in Ukraine at around 4,000, including 1,000 students.

Russia’s military intervention in Ukraine entered its third day on Saturday, with latest reports indicating clashes between Russian and Ukrainian troops in Kyiv.

Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered the military intervention Thursday, days after recognizing two separatist-held enclaves in eastern Ukraine. He claimed that Moscow had no plan to occupy its western neighbor, but wanted to “demilitarize” and “denazify” Ukraine.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has accused Moscow of trying to install a puppet government, vowing that Ukrainians will defend their country against Russian aggression.

*Writing by Bassel Barakat in Ankara