The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) on Wednesday said no Filipino in Russia has sought repatriation following the short-lived mutiny by the Wagner mercenary group.
“So far, no Filipino in Russia has sought for repatriation, unlike last month in Sudan, almost all our countrymen there sought immediate repatriation,” Foreign Affairs Assistant Secretary Raymund Cortes said, in a televised media briefing.
The DFA official, however, assured that the Philippine Embassy in Russia is always ready for any repatriation through its contingency plans just to make sure the repatriation of Filipinos there since we are prepared “both financially, logistically and of course, mentally.”
Currently, Cortes said there are around 11 Filipinos who were stationed in Rostov-on-Don located close to the Ukraine-Russia border while another 10,000 are in different parts of Russia.
The embassy over the weekend asked Filipinos in Russia to remain vigilant and take precautions and warned them against putting out political opinions on social media.
The head of the Wagner mercenary group Yevgeny Prigozhin went into exile in Belarus on Tuesday following the aborted rebellion, as NATO warned it was ready to defend against “Moscow or Minsk.”
Russian President Vladimir Putin thanked his regular troops for averting a civil war, as Moscow announced preparations to disarm Wagner fighters.
The DFA further said the Philippine government is continuously coordinating with the Filipino communities in Russia.
The DFA said there are around 8,000 Filipinos in the capital city, Moscow; and about 2,000 in St. Petersburg.
However, they were not affected as Wagner, led by Yevgeny Prigozhin, eventually withdrew troops after an agreement brokered by Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko.
“Our embassy has been advising the Filipino communities) to continue being sharp and alert and monitor the political developments dyan sa (in) Russia,” Cortes said.
