Russia Discourages Panamanians from Participating in the War With Ukraine”It’s not Hollywood”
The war between Russia and Ukraine continues to generate international concern and has affected citizens of various countries.
Russia issued a warning to Panamanian citizens about the consequences of participating in the war against Ukraine, following reports of Panamanians being recruited to fight in the armed conflict. The statement comes as the Panamanian government continues investigations into alleged cases of fraudulent recruitment and monitors the situation of its citizens in the war zone. Russia’s ambassador to Panama, Konstantin Gavrilov, urged Panamanians to carefully assess the risks of getting involved in the war and stated that the reality of the conflict is far from the image some might have. In a letter released through the Russian embassy’s social media channels, the diplomat stated:
“What they could expect would not be a ‘Hollywood blockbuster’ much less a ‘safari in the Iraqi desert’.”
He added that the war between Russia and Ukraine represents one of the most violent conflicts of the 21st century.
“This is one of the most violent conflicts of the 21st century, whose stark reality involves the use of multiple advanced weapons, which inevitably leads to a high number of victims,” he said.
Gavrilov noted that Russian law allows foreign citizens to voluntarily join the country’s armed forces, but denied that the Russian embassy in Panama plays any role in recruitment processes.
“Russia does not support or require fraudulent methods of recruiting volunteers,” the ambassador stated.
His statements come amid allegations of fake job offers used to lure citizens interested in traveling abroad.
Panama Confirms Participation of its Citizens in the War
The Panamanian government has acknowledged that more than twenty Panamanians have participated in the conflict, both on the side of Ukraine and Russia. According to official information, at least one Panamanian citizen has died , while several remain missing. The Foreign Ministry also reported that some of these people traveled with full knowledge that they would be incorporated into the armed conflict, while others were victims of deception through false promises of employment.
The Foreign Ministry and the Attorney General’s Office are Continuing Their Investigations
Panama’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs recently stated that it has repeatedly requested information from the governments of Russia and Ukraine regarding the situation of Panamanian citizens involved in the war. Meanwhile, the Attorney General’s Office is continuing investigations after receiving complaints from family members about possible cases of deceptive recruitment. Authorities are seeking to determine if there were networks dedicated to recruiting Panamanians through fraudulent job offers and then sending them to the conflict between Russia and Ukraine.
Panama Reinforces its Call to Avoid Conflict
Given this situation, Panamanian authorities have reiterated their call for citizens to exercise extreme caution regarding job offers abroad that may conceal activities related to the armed conflict.
