Israeli diplomatic staff in Lviv to leave Ukraine for Poland

Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid instructs Israeli embassy staff in the western Ukrainian city of Lviv to cross over into Poland, amid ongoing bouts of fighting between Ukrainian forces and Russian troops following Moscow’s invasion of its western neighbor starting Thursday.

The Israeli diplomatic staff will cross the border into Ukraine every day to continue their diplomatic work and provide consular services to help Israeli citizens leave Ukraine, the foreign minister indicates.

The embassy employees completed their relocation from the capital of Kyiv to Lviv, closer to the Polish border, on Tuesday. US diplomats and other missions left Lviv more than a week ago.

The Israeli ministry said it will post information on how to contact the embassy staff later in the day.

The Foreign Ministry reached this decision following a situational assessment Saturday morning that Russian troops may occupy Lviv, according to a statement.

This development came as reports circulated that Russian troops attempted a landing in the Lviv region, near the city of Brody to the northeast.

Lviv mayor Andriy Sadovy said a landing of three Russian helicopters was repelled by Ukrainian troops, a claim that was refuted by Ukraine’s security services.