11 Filipinos affected by Wagner group operations in Russian city — DFA official
The Philippine government is continuously coordinating with the Filipino communities in Russia after an uprising of a mercenary group against the government
Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Assistant Secretary Paul Cortes said Wednesday, June 28, that at least 11 Filipinos were initially affected by Wagner group’s activity.
The said Filipinos were located in the Russian city of Rostov-on-Don, a critical military post near Ukraine that was taken by Wagner group.
However, the government has not yet received any request for repatriation from Filipinos in Russia, Cortes said.
Meanwhile, there are around 8,000 Filipinos in the capital city, Moscow; and about 2,000 in St. Petersburg, he said.
But they were not affected as Wagner, led by Yevgeny Prigozhin, eventually withdrew troops after an agreement brokered by Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko.
“Sabi po ng embassy natin sa kanilang advisory sa ating mga kababayan (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 in a Laging Handa briefing.