Iraq working to evacuate its students from Ukraine after invasion, foreign minister says

Iraq's foreign affairs ministry said it is working with Ukrainian universities to evacuate Iraqi students after Russia announced a ground invasion of Ukraine.

Ministry spokesperson Ahmed Al-Sahaf said Iraq's embassy in Ukraine has since Monday been contacting 27 universities that host Iraqi students to facilitate emergency leave for students in case the security situation worsens.

"The embassy called on those Ukrainian universities and institutes to provide it with detailed information about the conditions and numbers of Iraqi students studying there," he said, according to Iraqi News Agency (INA).

The Iraqi embassy also urged all Iraqi citizens in Ukraine to remain cautious and to avoid risky areas in eastern Ukraine, telling them to use hotlines set up by the embassy if they need assistance.

Russian President Vladimir Putin announced the launch of a major offensive on Ukraine early on Thursday morning. Hours later, Russian ground forces crossed into Ukraine from several directions, according to the Ukrainian border agency.

The Russian army said Thursday that Moscow-backed separatist forces in eastern Ukraine were advancing and had gained territory after the Kremlin launched an attack on the country.

Putin launched the invasion after recognising the two rebel republics in eastern Ukraine and signing friendship treaties with them.

The leaders of the US, UK and France said they had spoken to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to lend their support.

US President Joe Biden called Russia's attack "unprovoked and unjustified".