China’s embassy in Ukraine offers Chinese nationals chartered flights to leave

SHANGHAI (Reuters) – China’s embassy in Ukraine on Friday said Chinese nationals could register for chartered flights to leave the eastern European country, after Russia unleashed the biggest attack on a European state since World War Two.

In a notice posted on the embassy’s official WeChat account, China said travelling on the charter flights is up to the individual and registrations will be open until Feb. 27.

There are 6,000 Chinese nationals in the Ukraine, said a spokesperson from the embassy.

Russian President Vladimir Putin declared war on Ukraine in a pre-dawn televised address on Thursday. Explosions and gunfire were heard through the day in Ukraine’s capital and elsewhere in the country, with at least 70 people reported killed.

Earlier this week the embassy advised Chinese nationals and businesses in Ukraine against venturing to “unstable” areas, but stopped short of telling them to consider leaving the country.

(Reporting by Ryan Woo in Beijing; Writing by Engen Tham in Shanghai; Editing by Christopher Cushing)