The Pakistan Embassy in Ukraine has said that as many as 676 Pakistanis have been evacuated to neighbouring countries so far, adding that 8 students were on the way to Ukraine Hungary border, 6 students were at Lviv, 9 students at Ternopil and about 100 students were on the way to Ternopil.

Sharing the development in a tweet on Monday, the Embassy further stated that 160 students were already at Poland Ukraine border.

Facilitation desk at Ternopil will receive all students and transfer them to border for evacuation as facilitation desk in Lviv has been closed, the Embassy announced.

On Sunday the Embassy had said in a Twitter post that Pakistan Ambassador in Ukraine Noel Israel Khokhar had a meeting with Deputy Internal Minister of Ukraine Yevhen Yenin on expediting the evacuation process.

The Pakistan Embassy in Ukraine on Sunday claimed to have completed "88% of the evacuation from risk-prone areas in the war-torn country to safe zone" and as many as 396 students were at the border posts.

Earlier, the embassy in a tweet advised more than 100 students arriving at the facilitation desks to stay at the Lviv Railway Station, till its safe to move them towards the border crossings, as the tally of evacuated people rises from 35 to 81.

In an interview with the PTV World, Pakistan Ambassador in Ukraine Noel Israel Khokhar said: "400 students from distances as far as 1,200kms and brought them into the border post, which is a safe zone now and here they will be processed and moved into Poland." He requested the parents to remain calm as the children "are OK". He added that there were seven crossing points and each of them have a queue of 5-6kms and each time a person breaks the line they are sent to the end of the line. The envoy advised to maintain calm and the situation "was under control."

Prevailing situation

According to Reuters, western allies are preparing sweeping new sanctions against Russia, including banishing its key banks from the main global payments system, drawing thanks from Ukraine on Sunday as its forces battled advancing Russian troops.

Russia's military pounded several cities with missiles overnight, setting an oil terminal ablaze in Vasylkiv, southwest of the capital Kyiv, the town's mayor said. The blasts sent flames and smoke into the night sky, online posts showed. There were reports of heavy fighting near the northeastern city of Kharkiv, where Russian troops blew up a natural gas pipeline, a Ukrainian state communications agency said.

81 people evacuated: FO

"81 people already evacuated; 79 are on the border crossing [Ukraine-Poland and Ukraine-Romania border] and 13 people are on the Ukraine-Hungary border; 310 people are on the way to borders now [307 students towards the Ukraine-Poland border and three towards the Ukraine-Romania border]; 104 students from Kharkiv are on the way to Lviv via train; and 20 students are being transferred by transportation arranged by the Embassy fro Kyiv to Lviv," according to the late Saturday update by the Foreign Office.

Meanwhile, Foreign Secretary Sohail Mahmood met with ambassadors of Poland and Romania, and Charge d’Affaires of Hungary on Saturday. He highlighted the government’s efforts for the evacuation of Pakistanis from Ukraine through neighbouring countries. Sohail appreciated their support and requested close cooperation for smooth evacuation operations.

He had also met with the Ukrainian ambassador and shared Pakistan’s perspective on the situation. Sohail stressed the need for "de-escalation, dialogue and diplomacy for a diplomatic solution." They also discussed the safety of Pakistanis in Ukraine and the evacuation arrangements.

Earlier, the embassy had shared that more than 100 students were on their way to Lviv from Kharkiv via train.

The rescued students from Kharkiv also thanked the embassy for their efforts.

Embassy fact sheet

According to a fact sheet, shared by the embassy via PTV News on Saturday, read the majority of the students have left Ukraine and 600 students are being evacuated. "The approximate number of Pakistani students in different cities of Ukraine are as follows: Kharkiv (250), Poltava (60), Kyiv (240), Vinnitsya (60), and Summy (15)," it read.

Earlier, as many as 35 Pakistani students were evacuated to Poland from Ukraine, as the Eastern European country tries to avert Russian invasion, the Embassy of Pakistan Ukraine said on Friday night.

"They have reached the camp on the Polish side of the border. The Embassy of Pakistan Poland is making arrangements for their transportation to Warsaw," the embassy said in a tweet.

Moreover, Poland has allowed Pakistani citizens stranded in Ukraine to enter Poland by land, Radio Pakistan reported on Saturday. According to a public notice issued by the Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Pakistani citizens can travel onwards within 15 days.