As of Monday, more than 150 Estonian citizens who had registered their stay in Ukraine and contacted the Ministry of Foreign Affairs have already left Ukraine and are en route back to Estonia or have already returned to Estonia, the ministry said in a press release.

Of the 46 Estonian citizens known to currently still be in Ukraine, 28 have notified the ministry that they are not in a hurry to leave, are following the situation and are waiting for a suitable moment to leave. The other 18 have indicated that they want to leave the country at the earliest opportunity.

Those who have registered their stay in Ukraine with the ministry are notified promptly via text message, email and phone about various options for evacuating the country.

"We ask all Estonian citizens who are currently in Ukraine and want to leave to contact the MFA and regularly check their email and phones," the ministry said.  "The situation is volatile and chances to leave may come and go rapidly, thus, information may come at short notice."

The MFA has requested that Estonian nationals currently in Ukraine leave the country as soon as possible and return to Estonia. "We ask you to not wait for evacuation and look for ways to leave the country independently," the ministry said. "Our recommendation is to choose an EU member state for crossing the border."

"Due to Russia's military aggression, we advise against any travel to Ukraine," the ministry said. "However, if you have decided to still go to Ukraine despite the ongoing war, please keep in mind that the assistance capabilities of the MFA are limited."

Estonian nationals still in Ukraine are urged to register their stay at the MFA's Reisi Targalt website (link in Estonian) or email [email protected] The ministry can also be contacted via its 24-hour emergency hotline at +372 5301 9999.

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