KUALA LUMPUR – Malaysians in Russia, Armenia, and Belarus are advised to stay vigilant following the declaration of a counter-terrorist operation in Moscow and the Moscow region yesterday.
In a statement shared through its Twitter account, the Malaysian embassy in the Russian Federation said Malaysians in all three countries are urged to register or update their latest locations and contact information with the embassy via email and telephone at +7(495)419-9898/99 or +7(906)746-1333 (duty officer).
It said registration is critical to ensuring that relevant information and updates from the embassy and Malaysian government can be communicated as effectively and efficiently as possible.
“The embassy is closely monitoring the current situation in the country and urges all Malaysians, particularly students in Moscow, Kursk, St Petersburg, and Volgograd, to always stay vigilant and calm, limit movement outdoors, avoid crowded areas, always carry personal documents (including passports), and ensure travel documents are valid and easily accessible.
“For Malaysians who plan to travel to the Russian Federation, it is advised for them to defer all non-essential travel until the situation has improved,” it added in the statement.
Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Zambry Abdul Kadir said on his Twitter account, “The ministry is closely monitoring the situation in Russia following the unrest caused by an armed mutiny. The Embassy is in close contact with all 755 registered Malaysians and has requested that they remain calm, vigilant, and stay indoors.”
Tensions are escalating in Russia after the Wagner mercenary group, led by Yevgeny Prigozhin, once a close ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin, launched a revolt to topple the Russian military.
The group’s leader, Yevgeny Prigozhin, said his fighters would proceed to Moscow, prompting the Kremlin to enhance security measures across various regions of the country, Anadolu Agency reported yesterday.
In the latest development, Prigozhin later claimed his fighters decided to turn back to avoid bloodshed when they were about 200km from Moscow, while Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko claimed he held talks with the Wagner head with Putin’s accord and that Prigozhin accepted a de-escalation deal, said the AA report. – Bernama, June 25, 2023
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