Turkey 'strongly advises' citizens to leave eastern Ukraine

Turkish citizens in eastern Ukraine are "strongly advised" to leave the region due to the latest developments there, Turkey's foreign ministry said on Tuesday, after Russia recognised two regions in eastern Ukraine as independent entities.

NATO member Turkey shares a maritime border with Ukraine and Russia in the Black Sea, and has called for a peaceful solution to the crisis. It has also offered to mediate the conflict.

"Within the framework of the latest developments in eastern regions of Ukraine, our citizens are strongly advised to leave eastern regions of Ukraine," the ministry said on Twitter.