Over 40 Filipinos in Ukraine awaiting repatriation to escape crisis, DFA says

Over 40 Filipinos arrive in Lviv and are awaiting repatriation amid the Russian invasion in Ukraine. Photo from the Department of Foreign Affairs website

MANILA, Philippines — More than 40 Filipinos in Ukraine are now awaiting repatriation to escape the exchange of fire following the Russian invasion, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) reported Saturday.

The over 40 Filipinos  evacuated Ukraine’s capital, Kyiv and arrived in the western city of Lviv.

“The Department of Foreign Affairs confirms the safe arrival yesterday of more than 40 Filipinos from Kyiv to the western Ukrainian city of Lviv. More Filipinos are expected to arrive in Lviv in the coming days,” the agency said in a statement.

Philippine Ambassador to Warsaw, Poland Leah Basinang-Ruiz assured the overseas Filipinos that the Philippine Embassy is prepared “to assist them to leave Ukraine and enter Poland in order to board their flights on their way home to the Philippines.”

“The Philippine Embassy in cooperation with DFA-[Office of the Undersecretary for Migrant Workers Affairs], is committed to assisting the remaining Filipinos in Kyiv and in other parts of Ukraine in order to bring them out of harm’s way while there is still time,” Basinang-Ruiz said.

As of February 18, six Filipinos have returned to the Philippines.

The DFA has accounted for 181 Filipinos in Ukraine.

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