View of Limassol. File photoATHENA, Feb 15The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Cyprus recommends that Cypriots do not travel to Ukraine «in connection with a further escalation of tension», and that citizens of the Republic of Cyprus who are there leave the country while there are direct flights. «Directive for citizens of Cyprus on travel to Ukraine» was distributed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. «In connection with the further escalation of tension in the region, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs recommends that citizens of the Republic of Cyprus refrain from traveling to Ukraine. In addition, citizens of the Republic of Cyprus who permanently reside and/or temporarily stay anywhere on the territory of Ukraine, it is proposed to leave the country while direct commercial flights are being operated,» the document says.Albania and Serbia urged their citizens to leave UkraineThe Foreign Ministry notes that in case of further deterioration of the situation, airlines may change or suspend the flight program to and from Ukraine. Cypriots who consider their presence in the country necessary are requested to be prepared and provide their contact details to the Cypriot embassy in Kiev, as well as register on the online platform www.connect2cy.gov.cy. «This directive is valid from February 15, 2022,» the Foreign Ministry said. The Foreign Ministry also published the contact details of the embassy and the Crisis Management Department of the Foreign Ministry for communication with citizens The plans attributed to Russia to escalate the situation around Ukraine are categorically denied in Moscow and constantly declare that they are not threatening anyone, and all such statements are used as an excuse to place more NATO military equipment near Russian borders. As Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said earlier, Russia does not create any pretexts for a conflict situation around Ukraine. According to him, Russia does not rule out that the hysteria around Ukraine, hyped by the West, is aimed at covering Kiev's line of sabotaging the Minsk agreements on Donbass. Allegations that Russia is allegedly preparing provocations in Ukraine continue to come from the West, despite the return of Russian troops to their places of deployment after the exercises. Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu at a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday reported that «some of the exercises are coming to an end, some will be completed in the near future.» The Southern and Western military districts of the Russian Federation have begun returning troops to their places of deployment, Major General Igor Konashenkov, an official representative of the Russian Defense Ministry, told reporters on Tuesday. Singapore recommended its citizens to urgently leave Ukraine
