MOSCOW

The evacuation of the Ukrainian citizens from Wuhan, China -- the epicenter of the coronavirus outbreak -- provoked protests in Ukraine.

The buses, carrying Ukrainian nationals and foreigners taken from China due to the deadly virus, were attacked by the locals on the way to being quarantined in the country's Poltava region.

The demonstrators in the town Novi Sanzhary, 20 miles (32 kilometers) from Poltava city, clashed with the police, with nine police officers and a civilian wounded.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky critisized the protests, saying: "Ukrainians showed not the best side of their character."

On Feb.18, a plane equipped with the necessary facilities to preventing the spread of the virus airlifted 45 Ukrainians and 27 foreigners from China.

On Friday, Chinese authorities announced that the death toll from the novel coronavirus outbreak had reached 2,238 in China.

The country's National Health Commission said there are 75,465 confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus, now known as COVID-19, 11,633 of which are in critical condition.

More than 18,260 people have been discharged from hospitals after recovering from the illness.

According to the latest reports, 889 people have died in the past 24 hours.

It has spread to more than 20 other countries including the U.S., the U.K., Singapore, France, Russia, Spain and India.

Many countries, including Turkey, have evacuated their citizens from the city of Wuhan -- the epicenter of the virus -- and other affected areas of China, placing them under quarantine and monitoring.

The World Health Organization has declared the outbreak an international health emergency.