Maldivian Government says it is willing to provide assistance to Maldivian students currently in Ukraine who want to leave the country amid military tension in Eastern Europe.
Presidential Spokesperson Mohamed Mabrook Azeez had said to the media that President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih had instructed the Foreign Ministry to offer assistance to the Maldivians wanting to leave Ukraine.
Meanwhile, the Foreign Ministry said that it would be providing assistance to those wishing to leave the Eastern European country.
The Ministry noted that they are not doing a full-scale evacuation of Maldivians in the country. But it said that the Ministry was providing financial assistance to the students who wish to return home.
The Ministry further said that as flights are operating in and out of Ukraine and with the border open as usual, students would be able to travel normally via commercial flights.
This comes after much concern from the students in Ukraine as well as the opposition who voiced concern over the lack of government initiative to ensure the safety of the Maldivians currently in Ukraine.
The situation in Ukraine remains precarious as Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered troops into two rebel-held regions in eastern Ukraine, after recognizing them as independent states.
BBC reported that footage released overnight appeared to show Russian military vehicles heading towards the Ukrainian border.
Russia said the troops would be "peacekeeping" in the breakaway regions, which it has backed since 2014. But the US said calling them peacekeepers was "nonsense".It accused Russia of creating a pretext for war. Ukraine's president said his country was "not afraid of anything or anyone".
