Russia will evacuate 14 diplomats from Yemen to Moscow by the nearest flight, a diplomatic source said on Saturday.

Yemen has been rocked with protests against President Ali Abdullah Saleh since February. Armed people opened fire at a mosque near the presidential palace on Friday injuring senior officials, including the president, praying inside.

"Considering the complex situation in the Republic of Yemen... we will send 14 diplomats by the next plane to Moscow," the source said, adding that no Russians had been injured in the protests in Yemen.

The source also said Russia was considering complete evacuation of all Russians from Yemen.

"We are looking into evacuation of all Russians. There are about 1,000 of them here together with a few hundred people from CIS [ex-Soviet republics],” the source said.

Russia is ready to help evacuate CIS people too, he added. However, few of these people want to leave, the source said.

Western media have said several hundreds of people had died in Yemen since the protests began.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Saturday that the situation in Yemen was terrible and that the sides should cease fire and start negotiations.

MOSCOW, June 4 (RIA Novosti)