MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Foreign Affairs on Monday raised Alert Level 4 in Ukraine as Russian forces continue to attack its neighboring country.
Alert Level 4 signals the mandatory evacuation of Filipinos living in Ukraine.
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"Filipinos in Ukraine will be assisted by the Philippine Embassy in Poland and the Rapid Response Team, which are currently assising Filipino nationals fo repatriation and relocation," the DFA said in a statement.
Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. earlier assured Filipinos in Ukraine that no harm will come to them.
The Philippines' top diplomat said he will make arrangements for the safe passage of Filipinos out of Ukraine.
"Rest assured Filipinos in Ukraine will come to no harm; I will be on top of it personally," Locsin said in a tweet on February 16.
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees has so far recorded 1,534,792 refugees on its dedicated website.
"More than 1.5 million refugees from Ukraine have crossed into neighbouring countries in 10 days — the fastest growing refugee crisis in Europe since World War II," the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, Filippo Grandi, tweeted.