Finnish Embassy adapts its activities in Kyiv

Finland’s Embassy in Kyiv is on enhanced readiness and the staff will continue their work at the mission. The Embassy has adapted its activities as required in the current situation, and some of its staff members have been repatriated to Finland.

On 11 February, the Ministry for Foreign Affairs updated its travel advice for Ukraine to the level of “leave the country immediately”. The change was based on a joint analysis of the situation, coordinated with the other Nordic countries. The advice to leave the country remains in force and the Ministry recommends that travellers should leave the country urgently. Commercial land and air connections are currently continuing in Ukraine and these should be used. However, the situation may change rapidly.  In a crisis, Finnish Ministry for Foreign Affairs has only limited capabilities to assist people in distress abroad.

At present, based on the travel details submitted to the Ministry, 120 Finns are staying in Ukraine. However, it is estimated that the number of Finns in Ukraine is bigger than that. After the level of the travel advice was raised, those who have submitted their travel details have been contacted by the Ministry through a text message and by telephone.

If you are in Ukraine and you have not yet submitted your travel details, please do so now at www.matkustusilmoitus.fi(Link to another website.). Follow the press releases issued by the Ukrainian authorities and the Facebook pages of the Embassy(Link to another website.) of Finland in Kyiv.

In case of an emergency, contact the Foreign Ministry’s 24/7 Service Centre, which serves round the clock. You can reach the Service Centre at +358 9 160 55555 or by email on paivystys.um@formin.fi.

Finland gives its full support to Ukraine both as a nation and as part of the EU, defending Ukraine’s territorial integrity and sovereignty within its internationally recognised borders.  Finland supports Ukraine also through bilateral development cooperation and crisis management activities as well as by participating in mine clearance and by providing humanitarian assistance.

 

Inquiries:

Situation in Ukraine: Mikko Kivikoski, Deputy Director General, Department for Russia, Eastern Europe and Central Asia, tel. + 358 295 350 773

Situation of Finnish citizens in Ukraine: Pasi Tuominen, Director General, Consular Services, tel. +358 295 351 202 and Outi Saarikoski, Director of Unit, tel. + 358 295 350 696

Requests for interviews addressed to staff at the Embassy of Finland in Kyiv: 24/7 Service of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs, tel. +358 40 551 6571

The Foreign Ministry’s email addresses are in the format firstname.lastname@formin.fi.