In an exclusive comment to Interfax-Ukraine, Ukraine’s Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Israel Yevhen Korniychuk spoke about evacuation routes from Israel for Ukrainians wishing to leave the country due to the deteriorating security situation in the region.
According to the diplomat, there have been direct hits in Israel, although few. In total, more than 10 people have been killed and about 130 wounded to varying degrees. The airport was closed at 8:00 a.m. on Saturday. The embassy is constantly updating information on its website for Ukrainian citizens who are temporarily staying in Israel and have not yet managed to leave the country.
Kornichuk emphasized that it is necessary to strictly follow the instructions of the Israeli Home Front Command; constantly monitor official reports from local authorities and the Embassy of Ukraine in the State of Israel; minimize movement and avoid places of mass gatherings; and find out in advance the location of the nearest shelters.
According to the diplomat, the embassy is keeping track of citizens seeking assistance in leaving the country, and at the moment, about 30 people have signed up for evacuation. He noted that the number of people wishing to leave will increase, so the embassy will try to organize group departures, in particular by booking buses to the Taba checkpoint (border with Egypt) at the expense of sponsors.
According to Korniychuk, private transport is still operating in the country, so Ukrainian citizens can evacuate independently. Currently, there are two routes available.
Route through Egypt – get to Eilat, cross the border on foot at Taba (open 24/7, crossing at any time). A valid Ukrainian passport (valid for at least 6 months) is required. If your stay in Egypt exceeds 14 days or you plan to travel from Sinai to Cairo, etc., you will need to purchase a visa for approximately $30 in cash. From Taba to Sharm el-Sheikh Airport – ≈160 km (shuttle buses or private taxi ≈$150).
The diplomat specifically clarified that charter flights from Sharm el-Sheikh are only available to those who arrived in Egypt on these same charter flights earlier. Independent departure does not guarantee boarding a charter flight. It is recommended to purchase only scheduled tickets.
The second evacuation route through Jordan is via the Allenby Bridge checkpoint. It takes 1.5-2 hours to get from Tel Aviv to the border. After crossing the border, it takes about an hour to get to Amman airport by car or bus (which run regularly).
However, during a conversation with the ambassador, additional restrictions became known. The Ukrainian Embassy in Jordan published a post stating that the Kingdom’s Civil Aviation Authority had announced a partial and temporary closure of Jordanian airspace to all aircraft (arrival, departure, transit). The closure is in effect daily from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 a.m. the following day (local time), starting on the evening of March 2 and continuing until further notice.
Passengers are advised to contact their airlines directly for schedule details and possible changes.
“The embassy continues to monitor the situation and update its recommendations on its official website,” he concluded.
Hotline of the Embassy of Ukraine in Israel: +972 54 667 67 82 (Viber, Telegram), email: consul_il@mfa.gov.ua
As reported, due to the escalation of the security situation in the Middle East and the threat of rocket attacks and assaults, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs recommends that Ukrainian citizens refrain from traveling to the State of Israel until the situation stabilizes and reminds them of the current recommendation to refrain from traveling to the Islamic Republic of Iran and to leave its territory, which was announced in early January.
We recommend that all Ukrainian citizens in the countries of the region remain vigilant, closely follow the reports of the local competent authorities of the countries of stay, strictly observe security measures, and always carry identity documents with them.
On February 28, the US and Israel launched a joint large-scale military operation against Iran (called “Lion’s Roar” in Israel and “Epic Fury” in the US). The strikes targeted military, missile, and nuclear facilities, as well as the country’s leadership. As a result of the attacks, Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed, along with a number of high-ranking officials, including the commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and the defense minister.
In response, Iran launched massive missile and drone strikes on Israel, as well as on US military bases and facilities in the Persian Gulf countries (UAE, Bahrain, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Jordan). There have been civilian casualties in Israel (including nine people killed in Beit Shemesh by a direct ballistic missile strike), wounded US military personnel, and significant damage to infrastructure.
