MANILA, Philippines – The Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said Saturday, February 26, that it had evacuated more than 40 Filipinos from Ukraine’s capital Kyiv to another city.

In a statement, the DFA said that the Filipinos were brought to the western Ukrainian city Lviv. More were expected to arrive in the coming days.

Philippine Ambassador to Warsaw in Poland Leah Basinang-Ruiz ensured the department’s commitment to bring Filipinos “out of harm’s way while there is still time.”

The Philippines does not have an embassy in Ukraine. On Thursday, February 24, the DFA said there were some 181 Filipinos in the country and most of them were in Kyiv. The department said some OFWs are opting to stay in Ukraine because of the need to provide for their families in the Philippines.

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Ukraine and Russia: What you need to know right now

Russia invaded Ukraine on Thursday, after weeks of tension and amassing troops near the border.

Russian forces have bombed several areas in Ukraine and were able to capture Chernobyl. The site of the 1986 nuclear disaster sits near Kyiv and signals Russia’s intent to advance toward the capital city.

Russia has been protesting Ukraine’s wanting to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization or NATO. In 2021, Russia demanded that the United States deny Ukraine NATO membership, which Moscow sees as an “eastward” expansion of the US and its allies into eastern Europe.

Ukraine was part of the Soviet Union until 1991. – Rappler.com