Group of Ukrainians stuck in turbulent Kazakhstan after Almaty airport shuts - MFA

A group of Ukrainian nationals couldn’t make it out of Kazakhstan on Wednesday as their Almaty-Kyiv regular flight was canceled after the airport suspended all operations.

The embassy is in contact with passengers, exploring the opportunities for the air carrier to ultimately perform the flight to Kyiv.

That’s according to Foreign Ministry Spokesman Oleh Nikolenko, who spoke with Ukrinform.

He noted that the Minister of Foreign Affairs Dmytro Kuleba, instructed the relevant officials with the diplomatic service to focus on protecting the interests of Ukrainian citizens in Kazakhstan.

According to Nikolenko, the situation is complicated by the state of emergency earlier introduced in Kazakhstan, as well as the unstable operation of mobile communications and the Internet.

Regional passenger transportation has been partially restricted, while international flights have been significantly delayed or canceled.

"Last night, a group of Ukrainian citizens could not take a flight from Almaty to Kyiv as the airport suspended operations. Diplomats helped Ukrainians find locations to stay overnight. The embassy is currently exploring with the airport administration and the air carrier the possibility of performing the flight and keeps in touch with passengers. According to the Foreign Ministry, Nur Sultan Airport is operating as usual. A flight to Kyiv has been scheduled for today," Nikolenko said.

He added that Ukraine expects that the Kazakh authorities ensure the safety of Ukrainian citizens, provide them with full assistance, including the Ukrainians who prefer to leave Kazakhstan.

Nikolenko called on fellow citizens to avoid sites of mass events, especially in big cities, to remain especially vigilant and cautious, as well as to register in the "FRIEND" electronic system (https://friend.mfa.gov.ua) so that diplomats are able to provide them with timely assistance.

"I’d like to reassure everyone: the Ukrainian government will not leave its citizens in limbo. Further steps of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and other agencies to protect the interests of Ukrainians in Kazakhstan will be adjusted depending on security developments," the Foreign Ministry spokesman said.

He added that the Embassy of Ukraine in Nur Sultan has switched to round-the-clock operation. In case of threat to life or safety, Ukrainians are urged to apply for assistance by phone: +7 705 755 66 10) or e-mail: emb_kz@mfa.gov.ua.