Ukraine evacuates 34 people from Syria - intelligence
Ukrainian citizens and relatives of Ukrainians among the evacuees (photo: t.me/DIUkraine)
Today, on Saturday, December 21, 34 people were evacuated from Syria as a result of a successful operation by the Defense Intelligence of Ukraine and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine. Among them are 15 children.
The DIU said that the operation was carried out on the instructions of President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy. People were evacuated from Syria through Lebanon. Among them, 31 people are citizens of Ukraine, and three more are relatives of Ukrainian citizens who have the legal right to enter the territory of our country.
“We thank the Lebanese side, in particular the General Manager of Sports and Youth Institutions in Lebanon, Dr. Naji Hammoud, for their assistance in carrying out the mission, as well as Sky Up Airlines for their constant support,” the statement said.
The DIU also expressed gratitude to the Moldovan authorities for conducting the evacuation mission. Currently, the evacuees have already landed at Chisinau airport, from where they will continue to Ukraine.
Ukrainian citizens and relatives of Ukrainians among the evacuees (photo: t.me/DIUkraine)
Ukrainian citizens and relatives of Ukrainians among the evacuees (photo: t.me/DIUkraine)
Ukrainian citizens and relatives of Ukrainians among the evacuees (photo: t.me/DIUkraine)
“The important operation to rescue Ukrainians from Syria is yet another proof that Ukraine helps its citizens everywhere, everywhere and always. Military intelligence officers together with their colleagues from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs are doing everything possible to protect the rights of our people, to help each and everyone who is in trouble,” said Chief of the Defense Intelligence of Ukraine Kyrylo Budanov.
The intelligence service reminded that since August 2024, the DIU and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, on behalf of Volodymyr Zelenskyy, have carried out four stages of evacuation from Lebanon and rescued 302 people, including 217 Ukrainians and 85 citizens of other states.
Events in Syria
In early December, rebels in Syria overthrew the regime of Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad. The government-controlled forces did not put up much resistance, and in a short time, opposition forces entered the capital city of Damascus. Assad himself fled to Russia.
