KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysians in Russia, Armenia and Belarus have been advised to stay vigilant following the declaration of a counter-terrorist operation (CTO) in Moscow and Moscow region on Saturday.
The Malaysian embassy in Moscow, in a statement shared on Twitter, said Malaysians in all three countries should register or update their latest locations and contact information with the embassy via email mwmoscow@kIn.gov.my and telephone numbers +7 (495) 419 9898/99 or +7 (906) 746 1333 (duty officer).
It said registration was critical to ensure that relevant information and updates from the embassy and Malaysian government could be communicated effectively.
“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, carry personal documents (including passport) and ensure travel documents are valid and easily accessible.
“For Malaysians who plan to travel to the Russian Federation, it is advisable for them to defer all non-essential travel until the situation has improved,” the embassy added, Bernama reported.
Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir said the ministry was 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 request them to remain calm, vigilant and stay indoors,” he tweeted.
Tensions escalated 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.
Prigozhin said his fighters would proceed to Moscow, prompting the Kremlin to enhance security measures across various regions of the country, Anadolu Agency (AA) reported on Saturday.
But in the latest development, he said his fighters would 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.
