Social media and local media have circulated news about the missing Lebanese family holding Ukrainian citizenship near Kyiv, amidst calls to investigate their whereabouts and conditions amid the ongoing war in the country. The young man, Mohammad Fakhouri, from the city of Sidon in southern Lebanon, was officially reported missing. He is the son of a Lebanese father and a Ukrainian mother and holds Ukrainian nationality along with his mother and maternal grandmother.
A relative of Fakhouri stated in a call with "Sky News Arabia" that he lost contact with his relative since early Friday and does not know whether he left the city of Irpin, near the Ukrainian capital where he was living, or remained with his mother and grandmother after the intensification of shelling. The family has circulated a contact number within Lebanon and published it on social media, requesting anyone with information about the missing family to get in touch with them.
Lebanon's ambassador to Ukraine, Ali Daher, mentioned in a call with "Sky News Arabia": "We have contacted Fakhouri's father and asked him to provide us with some information and documents so we can follow up with the relevant authorities here in Ukraine, and we will inform the Lebanese Foreign Ministry of any information we obtain. Communication is ongoing between the Ukrainian government and the Foreign Ministry in Lebanon through the Lebanese embassy, and so far, there is no information about them."
"Sky News Arabia" learned from friends of the missing individuals that their home was not shelled and remained intact, but contact with them has been lost for days. The young Lebanese man, Mohammad Fakhouri, attempted to document his residence in Ukraine before losing contact with his friend late Thursday, after Russian forces entered Irpin.
The Russian army has continued its siege of Kyiv and control over its entrances since the early days of the Russian campaign in Ukraine, while Ukrainian forces are fiercely defending the capital. It is noteworthy that many Lebanese students studying in Ukraine have gradually arrived in Beirut, while some remain due to the inability to leave and delays in opening safe passageways for those trapped by shelling and blocked roads, enduring severe hardships due to food shortages and heating disruptions, as civilians seek refuge in train stations to escape military operations.
In this context, the head of the Higher Relief Committee in Lebanon, Mohamed Khair, indicated upon the arrival of the delegation accompanying Lebanese refugees to Poland that "all Lebanese nationals in Poland and neighboring Romania have been evacuated." Khair added: "We are in contact with the nationals who have not yet been able to leave Ukrainian territory. They are in a sensitive situation, and we are in touch with them."
The Lebanese official emphasized that "the state will continue to work until the last Lebanese person in Ukraine, Poland, or Romania has been evacuated to return them to Lebanon," adding that "assistance is required from everyone able to provide it, including businessmen and others."
