Pakistani citizens urged to leave Ukraine

Pakistani citizens in Ukraine have been asked to leave the country in view of the “prevailing situation”.

Pakistan’s embassy in Ukraine issued the alert on its official Twitter handle.

The statement came as US Embassy in Kyiv also warned of an increased possibility of Russian military strikes on Ukraine in the coming days around Ukrainian independence day and again urged US citizens to leave if they can.

"The Department of State has information that Russia is stepping up efforts to launch strikes against Ukraine’s civilian infrastructure and government facilities in the coming days," the embassy said in an alert on its website.

Kyiv has banned public celebrations in the capital on the anniversary of independence from Soviet rule on Wednesday, citing a heightened threat of attack.

Near frontlines in the south of the country, Ukraine said Russia fired rockets into several towns north and west of Europe's largest nuclear power plant, captured by Russian forces shortly after they invaded Ukraine in February.

(With input from Reuters)