Spain evacuates its ambassador, 100 citizens from Ukraine as Russian forces surround Kyiv

By Alyssa McMurtry

OVIEDO, Spain (AA) – Spain is in the process of evacuating its ambassador to Ukraine and the remaining Spanish citizens in the country, the Spanish foreign minister said on Friday.

As Russian forces advanced to Kyiv, around 100 Spanish citizens, including embassy staff, are being escorted out by authorities, Jose Manuel Albares said, adding another 100 Spanish citizens in Ukraine have refused to leave.

“We’ve offered them the possibility to leave, but they are strongly rooted in Ukraine and they preferred to stay,” he said in an interview with broadcaster Antena 3.

This could be Spain’s last action on Ukrainian soil for a while.

On Friday, Spanish Defense Minister Margarita Robles told the press that “there will be no NATO troops in Ukraine.”

Instead, she said Spain is helping NATO reinforce its presence in member states like Bulgaria and Romania, which Spain will defend in the case of Russian aggression.

Spain’s leadership has robustly condemned Russia’s attacks and has pledged to stand in solidarity with Ukraine.

Meanwhile, a top Ukrainian diplomat in Spain asked for fewer words and more direct support.

“We need bullet-proof vests, helmets, and other items that can improve the country’s defensive capacity,” said Dmytro Matiuschenko in a speech on Thursday.

Spain’s foreign minister said the government is still “exploring” the possibility of sending defensive materials.

Spain has teamed up with the EU to impose harsh sanctions on the Russian regime.

Speaking from Brussels, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said Friday that the sanctions will inflict severe economic pain on Putin’s government and are commensurate with the dramatic Russian attack.

On day two of the Russian intervention in Ukraine, gunfire was heard in the capital Kyiv and armed clashes intensified in the cities of Gostomel, Vorzel, and Bucha.

Following a months-long buildup of troops and equipment around neighboring Ukraine’s borders, Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday announced a military intervention into Ukraine.

The attack has been met by international condemnation and announcements of new sanctions by Western countries.