Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid has ordered Israeli embassy staff in Kyiv to move to consular offices in the western Ukrainian city of Lviv, as war looms between Russia and Ukraine.
“The consular office in Lviv has been working to provide travel documents to Israeli citizens since Thursday and will assist citizens interested in leaving the country, primarily through land border crossings to neighboring countries,” the ministry said in a statement.
In that framework, they said, “Israeli diplomats stationed in Lviv, as well as those serving in Poland, Slovakia, Romania, Moldova and Hungary, have held visits to border crossings with Ukraine and meetings with the authorities at the crossings to ensure the passage of Israeli citizens who wish to leave Ukraine.”
With Russia sending troops into Luhansk and Donetsk after Russian President Vladimir on Monday recognized the independence of the separatist regions, Israeli officials believe war is increasingly likely.
The ministry has called on Israeli citizens in Ukraine to leave the country immediately. Just 4,000 Israelis have heeded Jerusalem’s advice and left Ukraine thus far.
The Jewish Agency also announced it would be moving its staffers from Kyiv to Lviv before reassessing the security situation early next week.
Local representatives in Kyiv would continue to provide service to local Jewish community members, said agency officials.
“The Jewish Agency is closely monitoring developments in the Ukraine region and is prepared to provide assistance in various scenarios, in accordance with the relevant government ministries,” said acting Agency chairman Yaakov Hagoel.
This article first appeared in Israel Hayom.