Embassy to help evacuate Chinese citizens, envoy says

The Chinese embassy in Kyiv will help evacuate Chinese citizens in Ukraine once the situation allows, says China's Ambassador to the country, Fan Xianrong.

"I am in Kyiv together with our people," Fan said, countering suggestions that he had left the capital.

"We will never put our own safety first and leave our compatriots alone, and will embrace the current special and difficult period together with our numerous compatriots," Fan said in a message on the embassy's official WeChat account on Sunday.

He reassured Chinese nationals stranded in the country, and said the embassy would make appropriate arrangements for evacuation whenever it was safe to do so.

"We will do it wherever conditions are available and whichever way is the safest."

China is gearing up to bring back its nationals by chartered flights, and the embassy is preparing charter flights and has asked all Chinese nationals to voluntarily register, according to an embassy statement on Friday.

Fan said China has always cared about the safety of its citizens in Ukraine.

"I thus ask everyone to rest assured that the Chinese embassy will never put your safety at risk."

Ukraine has closed its airspace to civilian flights, citing the dangers after Russia's President Vladimir Putin authorized "a special military operation" in the Donbass region on Thursday.

In a televised speech to the nation earlier that day, Putin said: "Our plans do not include the occupation of Ukrainian territories. We are not going to impose anything on anyone by force."

Russia's move was in response to "fundamental threats" by NATO, which has expanded to Eastern Europe and brought its military infrastructure closer to Russian borders, he said.

As fighting continues, it is hard to forecast what may happen, Fan said, and Chinese citizens in Ukraine should put their own safety first.

"Over the past few days, like everyone else, we have constantly heard sirens, explosions and gunshots, and have taken refuge in the basement. It's the sort of thing you see in movies."

He urged Chinese citizens to "stay away from all military-related people and facilities" and "strictly abide by local safety reminders and relevant regulations".

Xinhua contributed to this story.