26-6-2023 (KUALA LUMPUR) The Malaysian Embassy in the Russian Federation has advised Malaysians residing in Russia, Armenia, and Belarus to remain cautious following the announcement of a counter-terrorist operation (CTO) in Moscow and the surrounding region. In a statement issued through its official Twitter account, the embassy urged all Malaysians to register or update their latest locations and contact information with the embassy via email or telephone numbers provided.
The embassy emphasized that registration is crucial to ensure that relevant information and updates from the embassy and the Malaysian government can be communicated to Malaysians as effectively and efficiently as possible. The embassy further urged Malaysians, particularly students in Moscow, Kursk, St. Petersburg, and Volgograd, to stay calm and vigilant, limit their outdoor movement, avoid crowded areas, carry personal documents including passports, and ensure their travel documents are valid and easily accessible.
The Malaysian Foreign Minister, Datuk Seri Zambry Abdul Kadir, also took to Twitter to reassure Malaysians in Russia that the Malaysian government is closely monitoring the situation and staying in touch with all 755 registered Malaysians in the country, advising them to remain calm and stay indoors.
Tensions have been escalating in Russia since the Wagner mercenary group, led by Yevgeny Prigozhin, a former ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin, launched a revolt to overthrow the Russian military. Prigozhin had announced that his fighters would proceed to Moscow, prompting the Kremlin to enhance security measures across various regions of the country.
However, in a recent development, Prigozhin claimed that his fighters had decided to turn back to avoid bloodshed when they were about 200 kilometers away from Moscow. Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko also claimed that he had held talks with Prigozhin, with Putin’s accord, and that Prigozhin had accepted a de-escalation deal.
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