Chinese ambassador to Ukraine Fan Xianrong said in Kyiv on Saturday local time that he was still in the Ukrainian capital to face the difficult time with his compatriots in the country.

Refuting rumors that he had left Kyiv, Fan said in a nine-minute video it would be impossible for him to abandon his compatriots.

"I ask everyone to have confidence that the Chinese embassy will never leave Chinese citizens behind."

Fan asked Chinese nationals in Ukraine to stay safe, help each other out and wait for evacuation when the security conditions are met.

In a notice posted on its official WeChat account on Friday, the embassy said Chinese nationals could register for chartered flights to leave the eastern European country.

According to the embassy, there are about 6,000 Chinese nationals in Ukraine.

In his message addressed to them on Saturday, Fan also reiterated that China's policy towards Ukraine has always been friendly.

"We respect Ukraine's independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity," he said. "We hope that Ukraine can maintain peace and stability, and that the current crisis will be resolved through political negotiations."