By Philip Buda Ladu
The Government said it is remotely monitoring the situation and safety of South Sudanese citizens that are in Kiev, Ukraine as Russian attacks against Ukraine intensifies.
As the Russian Military Offensive against Ukraine intensifies the South Sudanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation said it is monitoring the conditions of its citizens who might be trapped in Kiev through their Embassies in Belgium and in Moscow, Russia.
Deng Dau Deng, the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation told No. 1 Citizen Daily Newspaper, Friday that they don’t have an Embassy in Kiev and eventually there are no officially registered South Sudanese nationals in Ukraine those who are either students or Asylum seekers.
Dau said the South Sudanese Embassy in Moscow will be monitoring the situation of what happens in Moscow, and in Kiev and they will update Juba back home as South Sudan don’t have a direct Embassy in Ukraine.
“We are monitoring! in fact we don’t have registered South Sudanese in Ukraine but definitely there are South Sudanese students there and South Sudanese citizens who have taken asylum there (Ukraine) so we have asked our Embassy in Belgium and our Embassy in Russia Moscow to monitor and tell us the situation if there are any South Sudanese citizens there,” Dau stated.
Asked whether Juba had received any reports of a number of South Sudanese citizens in Ukraine amid the foreseeable military invasion of Ukraine by Russia, Dau said they have not yet received any report of South Sudanese that might have been trapped in the crisis.
Russian forces have launched a major assault on Ukraine, firing missiles on cities and military targets.
The invasion by land, air and sea began after a pre-dawn TV address where Russian President Vladimir Putin demanded that Ukraine’s military lay down its arms.
Several neighbouring countries have begun preparations to take in a large number of refugees. Moldova alone said more than 4,000 people had come over the border from Ukraine.
Thursday’s invasion followed weeks of escalating tensions, as Russia massed troops along Ukraine’s borders.
The UK, EU and other Western allies have vowed to impose tough new sanctions to punish Moscow, but say they will not send in troops.