Australia evacuates embassy in Kiyv, Ukraine

Australia temporarily suspended operations at its embassy in Kyiv, Ukraine, and evacuated staff, following the deteriorating security situation caused by the build up of Russian troops on Ukraine's border, the foreign ministry said on Sunday.

"We will be moving our operations to a temporary office in Lviv," the ministry said in a statement. "We continue to advise Australians to leave Ukraine immediately by commercial means."

Lviv is a city in western Ukraine, around 70 kilometres (44 miles) from the border with Poland.