Ukraine calls on Turkey to close the straits to Russia's ships

* Photo: Aytaç Ünal / AA

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The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkey has announced that the citizens who want to leave Ukraine will be provided with the necessary support and guidance amid Russia's invasion of the country.

In a statement later in the day, Ukraine's Ambassador to Ankara Vasyl Bodnar has called on Turkey to impose sanctions against Russia and close the Bosphorus and Dardenelles straits to Russia's vessels. 

Earlier today (February 24), explosions were reported in several Ukrainian provinces, including the capital Kyiv, after Russia's President Vladimir Putin announced a special military operation in the Donbas region.

Amid these developments, several citizens have called out to the authorities in Turkey on social media and said that they want to be evacuated from the country. The written statement of the Foreign Ministry has recalled that the Ukrainian airspace is still closed and indicated that in the current situation, the citizens of Turkey should stay at their homes or in a safe place. Citizens have also been recommended to avoid travel in the current situation.

The statement has indicated that the citizens of Turkey who want to leave Ukraine will be provided with the necessary support and guidance.

The citizens who want to access the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkey may call the following numbers:

• Ministry of Foreign Affairs Consular Call Center +903122922929
• Emergency Hotlines of the Embassy of Kiev for citizens living in Kiev, Chernihiv, Cherkasy, Khmelnitskiy, Kharkiv, Ternopil, Sumi, Rivne, Poltava, Lviv, Luhansk, Jitomir, Dnipropetrovsk and Volin: +380632114765, +380632557748, +380935394612
• Emergency Hotlines of the Consulate General of Odessa for citizens living in Odessa, Mykolayiv, Kirovohrad, Kropivnitskiy, Ivano-Frankivsk, Chernivtsi, Kherson, Zaporizhia, Uzhhorod, Donetsk, Vinnitsa: +380937110024, +380937110026

'Close the straits to Russia'

Speaking at a news conference, Ukraine's Ambassador to Ankara Vasyl Bodnar has called on Turkey to impose sanctions against Russia over the invasion and close the Bosphorus and Dardanelles straits to the ships of Russia. "This is the first time a state which has nuclear weapons declared an open war," said Bodnar, adding, "We want Ukraine to be help. We want defense-oriented military aid. We want financial aid."

Airspace closed, flights cancelled

Turkey's flag carrier Turkish Airlines and Pegasus canceled Ukraine flights as of Thursday after Ukraine closed its airspace to civilian flights.

In a statement on Thursday morning, the Russian Defense Ministry announced it is using "high-precision weapons" to disable air defense systems, military airports, and air force in Ukraine.

Turkish Airlines had been operating flights to six points in Ukraine – Kharkiv, Kherson, Kyiv, Lviv, Odessa, Zaporizhia. (AS/SD)