Security Magazine logo
search
cart
facebook twitter linkedin youtube
  • Sign In
  • Create Account
  • Sign Out
  • My Account
Security Magazine logo
  • NEWS
    • Security Newswire
    • Technologies & Solutions
  • MANAGEMENT
    • Leadership Management
    • Enterprise Services
    • Security Education & Training
    • Logical Security
    • Security & Business Resilience
    • Profiles in Excellence
  • PHYSICAL
    • Access Management
    • Fire & Life Safety
    • Identity Management
    • Physical Security
    • Video Surveillance
    • Case Studies (Physical)
  • CYBER
    • Cybersecurity News
    • More
  • BLOG
  • COLUMNS
    • Cyber Tactics
    • Leadership & Management
    • Security Talk
    • Career Intelligence
    • Leader to Leader
    • Cybersecurity Education & Training
  • EXCLUSIVES
    • Annual Guarding Report
    • Most Influential People in Security
    • The Security Benchmark Report
    • The Security Leadership Issue
    • Top Guard and Security Officer Companies
    • Top Cybersecurity Leaders
    • Women in Security
  • SECTORS
    • Arenas / Stadiums / Leagues / Entertainment
    • Banking/Finance/Insurance
    • Construction, Real Estate, Property Management
    • Education: K-12
    • Education: University
    • Government: Federal, State and Local
    • Hospitality & Casinos
    • Hospitals & Medical Centers
    • Infrastructure:Electric,Gas & Water
    • Ports: Sea, Land, & Air
    • Retail/Restaurants/Convenience
    • Transportation/Logistics/Supply Chain/Distribution/ Warehousing
  • EVENTS
    • Industry Events
    • Webinars
    • Solutions by Sector
    • Security 500 Conference
  • MEDIA
    • Videos
      • Cybersecurity & Geopolitical Discussion
      • Ask Me Anything (AMA) Series
    • Podcasts
    • Polls
    • Photo Galleries
  • MORE
    • Call for Entries
    • Classifieds & Job Listings
    • Continuing Education
    • Newsletter
    • Sponsor Insights
    • Store
    • White Papers
  • EMAG
    • eMagazine
    • This Month's Content
    • Advertise
  • SIGN UP!
ManagementPhysicalSecurity NewswireSecurity Enterprise ServicesSecurity Leadership and ManagementSecurity & Business ResilienceSecurity Education & TrainingAccess ManagementFire & Life SafetyIdentity ManagementPhysical Security

Evacuation efforts underway in Ukraine due to safety & security concerns

By Maria Henriquez
ADS-B Exchange-ukraine.jpg

Airspace in Ukraine, Moldova, parts of Belarus and in southern Russia near the Ukraine border remain closed. Image courtesy of ADS-B Exchange 

February 25, 2022

Shortly before dawn and minutes after Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a “military operation” in Ukraine early Thursday, Russia launched attacks on major cities and airports across Ukraine, shelling more than a dozen cities and towns and crossing the border in multiple locations.

On the first day of the invasion, Ukraine’s Ministry of Internal Affairs reported nearly 400 instances of shelling by Russian forces and 100 Russian-launched missiles fired from land and sea. Multiple explosions were reported around Ukraine, including at Melitopol Air Base and several other airports. Ukrainian officials said more than 137 soldiers and civilians had been killed, and as many as 316 people had been injured since the invasion began. The blasts in Kyiv on Friday have already displaced at least 100,000 people. Defense officials believe the attacks are part of an “initial phase” of a large-scale Russian invasion.

As missiles continue to rain down on Kyiv, Ukrainians and foreigners rush to evacuate the country. Trains carrying children evacuated from eastern Ukraine. The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe also “temporarily evacuate[d]” all its international mission members from Ukraine. Haaretz reported that the Jewish community of Odessa has begun evacuating members to nearby countries. And, pictures and videos on social media show long lines at several bus and train stations, major roads with severe traffic jams, and thousands of people pouring into neighboring countries.

The U.S. has said it will not send troops to rescue Americans currently in Ukraine out of security concerns that such military action could escalate to an all-out war. Furthermore, the Overseas Security Advisory Council (OSAC) has recommended that U.S. citizens depart Ukraine immediately if safe to do so, using commercial or privately available ground transportation options.

In addition, the European Union Aviation Safety Agency warned that the presence and possible use of a wide range of ground and airborne warfare systems pose a high risk for civil flights operating at all altitudes and flight levels.

And, with Ukrainian airspace closed to all civilian flights, international security expert Dale Buckner, says, “It’s become much harder to leave.” Buckner, CEO of Global Guardian, has been helping to evacuate people, prepare plans, brief families and employees of corporations with business in Ukraine, covering safety and security of 400 expatriates and 3,000 local nationals. “With bombs falling, this is a true humanitarian crisis,” he says.

In the meantime, Buckner suggests that governments and corporations operating in the country must have a strong communications plan and assets in place, such as satellite phones, in the event that a wide-scale Russian cyberattack shuts down communications in Ukraine.

Those who remain in Ukraine may soon find themselves cut off from the outside world, he believes. “We should anticipate those lines of communication starting to deteriorate very quickly over the next 24-48 hours.” While the situation is fluid and unclear, entities should determine which employees are deemed essential in Ukraine and cannot leave, and which employees can safely evacuate the country.

In addition, Buckner recommends that as the situation in Ukraine continues to evolve, entities must continue to assess the risk and threat level impacting their people on the ground. “Will this be just a true occupation of the East and in the West of Ukraine? Will there only be bombings? Will there be a takeover? All of these questions are on the table and difficult to answer,” he says.

Organizations looking to safely evacuate assets in Ukraine should consider using ground transportation provided by Ukrainians. However, it’s important to note that those capabilities are severely limited. Buckner predicts transportation will only be available for the next 7-10 days. Recently, Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Council Chief Oleksiy Danilov called for a national state of emergency, subject to parliamentary approval, which could impact those looking to evacuate and increase security at public facilities, traffic restrictions and additional transport and document checks.

Therefore, Buckner says, moving quickly is essential as the borders of Poland, Romania and other neighboring countries will become overwhelmed. Buckner adds, “In a few weeks, Russia will likely open up air corridors for relief flights to evacuate Western expatriates wishing to leave Ukraine because it is not in Russia’s best interest to have European or U.S. expatriates harmed in that way.”

U.S. citizens are encouraged to ensure travel documents are valid and easily accessible, review personal security plans and have a contingency plan that does not rely on U.S. government assistance. Those seeking emergency assistance and those who decide to remain in Ukraine should complete this online form, and the State Department will respond. U.S. citizens seeking to depart Ukraine can also call 1-833-741-2777 (in the United States) or 1-606-260-4379 (from overseas) for immediate assistance.

KEYWORDS: communications plan emergency response evacuations physical security public safety risk management

Share This Story

Looking for a reprint of this article?
From high-res PDFs to custom plaques, order your copy today!

Maria Henriquez is a former Associate Editor of Security. She covered topics including cybersecurity and physical security, risk management and more.

Recommended Content

JOIN TODAY
To unlock your recommendations.

Already have an account? Sign In

  • Security's Top Cybersecurity Leaders 2024

    Security's Top Cybersecurity Leaders 2024

    Security magazine's Top Cybersecurity Leaders 2024 award...
    Security Enterprise Services
    By: Security Staff
  • cyber brain

    The intersection of cybersecurity and artificial intelligence

    Artificial intelligence (AI) is a valuable cybersecurity...
    Security Leadership and Management
    By: Pam Nigro
  • artificial intelligence AI graphic

    Assessing the pros and cons of AI for cybersecurity

    Artificial intelligence (AI) has significant implications...
    Logical Security
    By: Charles Denyer
Manage My Account
  • Security eNewsletter & Other eNews Alerts
  • eMagazine Subscriptions
  • Manage My Preferences
  • Online Registration
  • Mobile App
  • Subscription Customer Service

More Videos

Sponsored Content

Sponsored Content is a special paid section where industry companies provide high quality, objective, non-commercial content around topics of interest to the Security audience. All Sponsored Content is supplied by the advertising company and any opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and not necessarily reflect the views of Security or its parent company, BNP Media. Interested in participating in our Sponsored Content section? Contact your local rep!

close
  • Crisis Response Team
    Sponsored byEverbridge

    Automate or Fall Behind – Crisis Response at the Speed of Risk

  • Perimeter security
    Sponsored byAMAROK

    Why Property Security is the New Competitive Advantage

  • Duty of Care
    Sponsored byAMAROK

    Integrating Technology and Physical Security to Advance Duty of Care

Popular Stories

Internal computer parts

Critical Software Vulnerabilities Rose 37% in 2024

Coding

AI Emerges as the Top Concern for Security Leaders

Half open laptop

“Luigi Was Right”: A Look at the Website Sharing Data on More Than 1,000 Executives

Person working on laptop

Governance in the Age of Citizen Developers and AI

Shopping mall

Victoria’s Secret Security Incident Shuts Down Website

2025 Security Benchmark banner

Events

June 24, 2025

Inside a Modern GSOC: How Anthropic Benchmarks Risk Detection Tools for Speed and Accuracy

For today's security teams, making informed decisions in the first moments of a crisis is critical.

July 17, 2025

Tech in the Jungle: Leveraging Surveillance, Access Control, and Technology in Unique Environments

From animal habitats to bustling crowds of visitors, a zoo is a one-of-a-kind environment for deploying modern security technologies.

View All Submit An Event

Products

Security Culture: A How-to Guide for Improving Security Culture and Dealing with People Risk in Your Organisation

Security Culture: A How-to Guide for Improving Security Culture and Dealing with People Risk in Your Organisation

See More Products

Related Articles

  • global-security-freepik5482y.jpg

    US government blacklists four companies due to national security concerns

    See More
  • police

    Justice Department invests $2.6 million to mitigate violent crime and support public safety in disruption efforts

    See More
  • uav-drone-freepik1170.jpg

    Commercial and military drones in Ukraine: The evolutionary use and implications on security and safety

    See More

Events

View AllSubmit An Event
  • August 27, 2025

    Risk Mitigation as a Competitive Edge

    In today’s volatile environment, a robust risk management strategy isn’t just a requirement—it’s a foundation for organizational resilience. From cyber threats to climate disruptions, the ability to anticipate, withstand, and adapt to disruption is becoming a hallmark of industry leaders.
  • April 16, 2025

    Modernizing GSOC Operations: Ensuring Full Control and Complete Situational Awareness

    ON DEMAND: For many organizations, physical security management can be a daunting task. Threats are on the rise and risks are becoming increasingly diverse. 
View AllSubmit An Event
×

Sign-up to receive top management & result-driven techniques in the industry.

Join over 20,000+ industry leaders who receive our premium content.

SIGN UP TODAY!
  • RESOURCES
    • Advertise
    • Contact Us
    • Store
    • Want More
  • SIGN UP TODAY
    • Create Account
    • eMagazine
    • eNewsletter
    • Customer Service
    • Manage Preferences
  • SERVICES
    • Marketing Services
    • Reprints
    • Market Research
    • List Rental
    • Survey/Respondent Access
  • STAY CONNECTED
    • LinkedIn
    • Facebook
    • YouTube
    • X (Twitter)
  • PRIVACY
    • PRIVACY POLICY
    • TERMS & CONDITIONS
    • DO NOT SELL MY PERSONAL INFORMATION
    • PRIVACY REQUEST
    • ACCESSIBILITY

Copyright ©2025. All Rights Reserved BNP Media.

Design, CMS, Hosting & Web Development :: ePublishing