Greece reopens its embassy in Ukrainian capital

By Ahmet Gencturk

ANKARA (AA) – Greece on Monday reopened its embassy in the Ukrainian capital, after being closed since early in Russia's war on its neighbor.

“The Greek flag is waving again today in Kyiv, the capital of Ukraine, where our Embassy opened its doors,” Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias said on Twitter.

Manolis Androulakis, the former Greek consul in Mariupol, was appointed to head the embassy in Kyiv at the charge d’affaires level, he added.

Greece, through its embassy in Kyiv and consulate in the Black Sea city of Odesa, stands with the people of Ukraine, and the ethnic Greeks in the country, Dendias added.

On Feb. 25 – one day after Russia started its war on Ukraine – Greece decided to evacuate its embassy in Kyiv due to concerns.

In recent weeks, with Russia forces concentrating their attacks in eastern Ukraine and other areas, many embassies that left Kyiv have started returning.

At least 3,309 civilians have been killed and 3,493 others injured in Ukraine since the war with Russia began, according to UN estimates. The true toll is feared to be much higher.

More than 5.8 million people have fled to other countries, with some 7.7 million people internally displaced, according to the UN refugee agency.​​​​​​​