Hanoi (VNA) – The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) and overseas representative agencies of Vietnam are exerting utmost efforts to protect and assist Vietnamese citizens in Ukraine to weather difficulties, an official has said.

Talking to the press on March 3, Vice Chairman of the ministry’s State Committee for Overseas Vietnamese Affairs (SCOV) Ngo Trinh Ha said nearly 7,000 Vietnamese people are living in Ukraine, mostly in some big cities like Kyiv (800), Kharkiv (3,000), and Odessa (3,000). There haven’t been any reports about Vietnamese casualties in this country.

Given the complicated situation in Ukraine, Party and State leaders are paying great attention to and issued early directions on the protection of security, lives, and asset of the community there.

To implement the directions, the MoFA’s citizen protection team has coordinated with Vietnam’s representative agencies in Ukraine and neighbouring countries to help evacuate Vietnamese people from war zones, Ha said.

As of March 2 night (Vietnam time), most of the citizens in Kyiv and Odessa and hundreds of others in Kharkiv had evacuated from war zones to nearby countries, including Poland (600), Moldova (340), Romania (120), Slovakia (300), and Hungary (30), the representative bodies reported.

The agencies have assisted the citizens to handle the procedures necessary for their entry and transit while working with the host countries’ authorities and Vietnamese associations there to arrange temporary accommodation for them, Ha noted, adding that the Vietnamese people leaving Ukraine will continue increasing on the coming days.

The solidarity of the Vietnamese people in Ukraine and other countries is very honourable, the official went on.

He also appreciated some organisations and individuals in Vietnam liaising with the SCOV and the MoFA to offer help to the citizens in Ukraine, expressing his belief that with this solidarity, the overseas community will surmount difficulties and challenges soon.

Detailing the supporting activities, Ha said when the fighting began on February 24, the MoFA immediately ordered measures be taken to protect and assist the Vietnamese citizens in Ukraine. It has also requested the Vietnamese Embassy in this country to keep frequent contact with the Vietnamese community, operate the hotline around the clock to receive information and provide timely aid, and ask local authorities to assist and protect the safety, lives, and assets of the Vietnamese people and businesses.

Besides, the SCOV has also carried out many measures for supporting the citizens, including issuing recommendations and safety guidance, calling on the Vietnamese people, businesses, and associations in Ukraine and neighbouring countries to help with citizen protection, and setting up communication channels to stay updated with the situation.

Ha added the SCOV hopes that the Vietnamese community and associations in those countries will keep upholding solidarity and working closely with the representative agencies to help those in Ukraine./.