Fifteen more Cypriots from Ukraine, including minors return safely

In total 15 Cypriot citizens, including minors, who fled the war in Ukraine arrived safely in the island late Tuesday, a foreign ministry official told the Cyprus Mail.

The group left Ukraine by coach via the capital of Romania, Bucharest, and arrived in Greece from where they flew to Cyprus late Tuesday, foreign ministry spokesman Demetris Demetriou said.

According to the spokesman, minors and elderly people were part of the group.

“Efforts are being made to see when we will be able to proceed to additional evacuations,” Demetriou added.

The Cypriot nationals were part of a group of 42 people together with Greek nationals, Ukrainians with family ties to Cyprus and EU citizens who were evacuated from Ukraine on the initiative of the Cyprus embassy in Ukraine and the crisis centre at the foreign ministry this week.

The individuals, trapped in Kiev, had sought consular help from Cypriot authorities.

Their evacuation was completed on Tuesday morning.

Meanwhile, The Animal Party has called for the simplification of the procedures for Ukrainian refugees to bring their pets to Cyprus, following the example of other countries.

The party welcomed the recommendation of the European Union that member states cut red tape for Ukrainian citizens fleeing from the war with their pet animals, and give refugees “one less thing to worry about”. The advice was issued following a call by the Federation of Veterinarians of Europe (FVE).

More than half a million Ukrainians have fled the fighting since Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered a full-scale invasion of his southern neighbour nearly a week ago.

Russia said its forces took control of Kherson, the first sizable city on Wednesday, as fighting raged around the country and Western nations tightened an economic noose around Russia.