‘Nothing threatens’ Jamaicans in Russia, ambassador insists
Gavin Riley / Our Today
administrator
Jamaicans living and studying in Russia are there in “complete safety”, according to the Russian ambassador to the island, Sergey Petrovich.
Petrovich, in an interview with Our Today on Monday (March 14), acknowledged the Jamaican Government’s ‘anxieties’ over the status of its citizens in Russia, amid the “military operation” under way in Ukraine since February 24.
“Of course, it is the right of every national government to advise its citizens to leave or to stay in [Russia], but as the Russian ambassador, I can assure you that the Jamaican citizens who are now in Russia are in complete safety,” he said.
“Nothing threatens them, no,” Petrovich advised from the Russian Embassy in Kingston.
For her part, Foreign Affairs Minister Kamina Johnson Smith, as recently as March 7, has reiterated calls for Jamaicans in Russia to consider leaving as increasing Western sanctions place a massive financial toll on the country and critical airspace is closed off to Russian airlines.
“Flights to and from Russia have already been restricted as several countries close airspace to Russian flights. Visa and Mastercard have suspended all transactions with Russia and international financial transfers to and from Russia have also been suspended. This should all be seen as a clear indication of the worsening situation in Russia,” Johnson Smith had advised.
“We, therefore, advise Jamaicans there to leave as soon as practicable.”
By the ministry’s account, 18 Jamaican students are known to be studying in Russia, three of whom have since returned to the island. Attempts by Our Today to confirm the full number of Jamaicans also permanently living in Russia remain unanswered by the foreign affairs ministry.
In the meantime, Petrovich disclosed that while the Russian Embassy does not hold grave concerns for the safety of its nationals in Jamaica, it is fine-tuning a repatriation plan should the geopolitical situation further worsen.
The ambassador told Our Today that the embassy is in contact with six Russian nationals, and, as it stands, the number is too small to facilitate only Russia-bound flights from Jamaica.
As a counteroffer, flights are being arranged from neighbouring Cuba and the Dominican Republic, where the largest majority of Russian tourists predominantly visit.
“I haven’t heard any concerns from Russian citizens here in Jamaica or the Caribbean in the context of the current situation in Europe, no. So, as far as I know, we have six Russian nationals in Jamaica who contacted the embassy asking for some advice [on] how to get back to Russia,” Petrovich told Our Today.
“As far as I know, two have arrived in Cuba, and four of them are still in Jamaica. We are in contact with them but, as far as I know, the Russian Government is planning to organise special flights from Cuba and the Dominican Republic to bring our [citizens] back to Russia,” he added.
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