First Batch of Filipino Repatriates from Ukraine Arrive in PH

The first batch of Filipino repatriates made it home safely as United States President Joe Biden said during his talk at the White House Saturday that Russian President Vladimir Putin has already made the decision to invade Ukraine.

Biden added that Russia could attack in the following days or week.

Furthermore, president Biden added that Russian targets include Kyiv, “a city of 2.8 million innocent people.”

With the seemingly escalating developments in Ukraine, the Philippine government announced free repatriation flights for Filipinos in the eastern European nation, where six individuals, including a minor, arrived on Friday at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport via Turkish Airlines Flight 84.

The six, including a minor, arrived via Turkish Airlines flight 84 at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3.

The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said that they are continuing to monitor the situation in Ukraine in what has been one the worst crises between two nations of the post-Cold War era.

“The department continues to monitor the situation in Ukraine’s borders while the Philippine Embassy in Poland remains in touch with the Filipino community inside Ukraine,” a DFA statement said.

Furthermore, Philippine Ambassador to Ukraine Leah M. Basinang-Ruiz urged Filipinos in Ukraine to immediately contact the Philippine Embassy in Warsaw, Poland, should they wish to request for repatriation assistance.

“We are urging all Filipinos in Ukraine to contact the Philippine Embassy in Warsaw and the Philippine Honorary Consulate General in Kyiv if they would like to request for repatriation assistance from Ukraine,” Ruiz said.

According to the U.S. ambassador to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe Michael Carpenter during his address to the joint session of the Forum for Security Cooperation and Permanent Council in Vienna, Russia has already amassed up to 190,000 troops in the Ukraine-Russia border which includes military troops along the Ukraine-Russia border, in Belarus, and in occupied Crimea.

Carpenter added that the buildup of troops is “the most significant military mobilization in Europe since the Second World War.”

The US is now saying that Moscow is now looking to create a pretext for war. (GFB)