Paris, Feb 11 : The Dutch authorities have urged citizens to leave Ukraine as soon as possible, BNR News Radio reported on Friday, citing Dutch Ambassador to Kiev, Jennes de Mol. This is not an evacuation but a recommendation to Dutch nationals in the country, the diplomat reportedly said. According to the broadcaster, an emergency center is being set up in the western Ukrainian city of Lviv at the initiative of Amsterdam, so that Dutch citizens will be able to apply for urgent documents or information. In January, a number of Western countries announced the evacuation of its diplomatic missions from Ukraine.
On Thursday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said that Moscow may also advise non-essential personnel at its diplomatic missions in Kiev to leave the country. He stressed that Russia has become concerned by the evacuations of staff by the United Kingdom and the United States as it looks as if “there were preparations for something” in Ukraine. In the past few months, the West and Ukraine have accused Russia of massing troops near the Ukrainian border in alleged preparation for invasion.
Russia replied that it has no intention of invading Ukraine, while stressing that it has the right to move its forces within its own territory. Russia has also expressed concerns over NATO military activity near its borders and ongoing military support of Ukraine, including an increase in the number of Western instructors in the breakaway Donbas region. Lavrov said that Moscow is not excluding that the “hysteria” around Ukraine fueled by the West is aimed at concealing Kiev’s plans to sabotage the Minsk Agreements on Donbas.
