Ukraine Evacuates Diplomats, Government Workers From Egypt

CAIRO, Egypt -- Ukraine evacuated 127 diplomats, their family members and other personnel from Egypt on Tuesday, a government spokesman said.
A charter plane hired by the Ukrainian government left Cairo airport Tuesday morning without incident, Foreign Ministry spokesman Oleksander Dikusarov told the Interfax news agency.

Employees of Ukraine's national energy company Naftohaz Ukrainy and the state weapons export company Ukrspetsexport were also aboard, Dikusarov said.

The flight was scheduled to land in Kiev Tuesday afternoon.

Ukraine's government on Friday suggested travel agencies stop selling tour packages to Egypt because of street demonstrations in the capital Cairo.

Media reports suggest the advisory has so far had only a moderate effect on Ukraine's tourist industry.

'We have cancelled a few flights to Sharm el-Sheikh and Hurghada, but we are still conducting flights to Egypt,' Kiev-based charter operator Windrose told Interfax.

Some 6,500 Ukrainian nationals are currently in Egypt, according to Foreign Ministry estimates.