The Main Intelligence Directorate (GUR) of Ukraine, in coordination with the Office of the President and the Foreign Ministry, has conducted a successful rescue operation to evacuate Ukrainian citizens from the Sudanese capital Khartoum.
"In the conditions of continuous fighting, non-compliance with the ceasefire, lack of food, water and equipment, 87 Ukrainian citizens, mostly aviation specialists - pilots, technicians and their families - were evacuated from the armed conflict zone. Citizens of Georgia and Peru were also evacuated," the GUR said.
A total of 138 citizens were rescued. Among them are 35 women and 12 children.
All evacuees are currently safe in Egypt and are provided with the necessary medical care, food and water.
"Citizens of Ukraine are provided with visa and documentary support and expect to return home soon," the GUR noted.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said that the turf war in Sudan could escalate into a "catastrophic fire" that will spread across the region. Foreign governments have accelerated the evacuation of diplomats and other nationals as fears of an escalation have grown.
The United States, France, Germany, Canada, Italy, Spain, Sweden, Denmark, Switzerland, Norway, the Netherlands, Bulgaria, Turkey, Japan, and others have evacuated their citizens. The United Kingdom has not yet announced a plan to evacuate its 2,000 citizens from Sudan.
The evacuation has accelerated in recent days amid a lull in the fighting.