Some media reports say Russia’s advance on Ukrainian cities intensifies as war enters second week, displacing one million people.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Tajikistan says that due to the aggravation of the situation in Ukraine in the past 24 hours, the number of Tajik nationals wishing to leave Ukraine has increased. 

To-date, 823 Tajik citizens have left Ukraine for Poland and 121 other Tajik nationals have left Ukraine for Moldova, an official source within the Tajik Foreign Ministry told Asia-Plus in an interview.  

According to him, this data is subject to change, as those who wish to leave Ukraine are in queues at Ukraine’s common borders with Poland and Moldova.  

According to data from the Tajik Embassy in Kiev, there are no casualties among our citizens in Ukraine.  

“Three our nations, who work for OSCE special mission to Ukraine, have been evacuated to Rostov-on-Don,” the source within the Tajik MFA noted.  

The Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine is an international civilian observer mission created under the auspices of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) mandated to contribute to reducing tensions and to help foster peace in Ukraine.

Tajikistan Ambassador to Ukraine Davlat Nazrizoda had earlier told Asia-Plus that about 4,000 Tajik nationals live in Ukraine. 

According to him, most Tajiks living in Ukraine are labor migrants working in the agrarian and construction sectors as well as in commerce. 

“A total number of Tajik students studying in Ukraine is 101 people.  They are studying at universities in Kiev, Odessa, Kharkov, Dnepr, Poltava and some other cities,” Ambassador Nazrizoda noted.

In connection with situation that has developed in Ukraine, Tajikistan’s diplomatic mission in Kiev has switched to 24/7 operation, the ambassador said, adding that a 24-hour hotline -- +380933361040 – now operates for nationals of Tajikistan.

Tajikistan’s Embassy in Kiev is reportedly drawing up the list of our citizens wishing to leave Ukraine and considering the issue of evacuation of Tajik nationals from Ukraine in case of necessity.