Russia-Ukraine crisis: Irish citizens urged to leave
ReutersIrish citizens have been advised by their government to leave Ukraine immediately as fears of a Russian military offensive rise.
The Irish Department of Foreign Affairs is now also advising against all travel to Ukraine.
In a statement on Saturday, it said Irish citizens in the country should "leave immediately by commercial means".
The US government has warned Russia could invade Ukraine "any day now".
It has already told its own citizens to leave within the next 48 hours.
Earlier on Saturday, the UK government advised British nationals to leave also.
Russia has denied any plans to invade Ukraine despite massing more than 100,000 troops near the border.
In a statement on Saturday, the Irish government said it had upgraded travel advice for its citizens living in Ukraine following what it called "intensive consultations overnight and this morning with EU partners in Kyiv and Brussels and with other partners".
The government said the Irish embassy in Kyiv would remain open with a small number of essential staff. But the situation is being kept under review.
Irish senator Mary Seery-Kearney has said that 14 babies had been due to be born by surrogate in Ukraine between now and May, RTÉ reports.
The department of foreign affairs has said it would continue to support those individuals and families.
