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Indonesia prepares contingency plan in Ukraine as tensions boil with Russia
About 100,000 Russian troops have been stationed at the border of Ukraine, prompting the Indonesian mission in Kyiv to step up citizen protection protocols in case tensions in the region escalate into violence.
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Sixteen troop tents, shelters and deployments are seen in the Angarsky training area of Crimea on Feb. 1. Russia's President Vladimir Putin has accused the West of ignoring Moscow's security concerns and using Ukraine as a tool to contain Russia, though he said he hoped a solution could be found to end spiraling tensions. (AFP/Handout)
T
he Indonesian Embassy in Kyiv has prepared contingency plans for its citizens residing in Ukraine as the former Soviet outpost faces its worst bilateral conflict with Russia since the annexation of Crimea in 2014.
About 100,000 Russian troops have been stationed at the border of Ukraine, prompting the Indonesian mission in Kyiv to step up citizen protection protocols in case tensions in the region escalate into violence, according to Judha Nugraha, the Foreign Ministry's citizen protection director.
“Specifically for Ukraine, of course, the Indonesian Embassy in Kyiv has updated its threat assessment for the current security situation and has prepared a contingency plan,” he told reporters on Thursday.
All overseas representative offices are legally required to have contingency plans in place for their resident nationals.
According to data from the embassy in Kyiv, 131 Indonesian citizens reside across Ukraine, the majority of whom (78) are in the capital.
The embassy has called on Indonesians there to stay alert and report themselves to the mission so that it could keep tabs on them.
“The Indonesian Embassy in Kyiv has also created a WhatsApp group for all 131 Indonesian citizens to ensure communication lines among residents there are always open,” Judha said.
Read also: Russia increasing force readiness near Ukraine: US satellite company
Western powers have been engaged in intense diplomatic efforts to deter what they fear to be a looming invasion by Russia, despite strenuous denials from Moscow.
Earlier this week, the United States deployed thousands of troops to Romania, Germany and Poland to support NATO forces in Europe. Russia responded by saying the move would make it harder for all parties to reach a compromise.
The Pentagon said on Thursday that Moscow was planning to film a fake Ukrainian attack on Russians to justify an invasion, AFP reported.
However, US officials have yet to provide evidence to back the claim, with US State Department Spokesperson Ned Price saying the US did not know if Moscow had decided to go through with the plan.
“Russia has signaled its willingness to continue diplomatic talks as a means to deescalate [tensions], but actions such as these suggest otherwise," Price said as quoted by AFP.
Previously, when it served as a nonpermanent member of the United Nations Security Council in 2019, Indonesia sought to promote confidence-building measures between Russia and Ukraine to help them maintain peace. Indonesia maintains positive relations with both countries.
