SINGAPORE – The Singapore Embassy in Moscow on Saturday advised Singaporeans in Russia to remain indoors and avoid interstate travel amid the “unstable security situation” in the country’s southern regions.

The embassy also reiterated Singapore’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ (MFA) travel advisory issued last October cautioning Singaporeans to defer travel to Ukraine and Russia’s Krasnodar Territory, as well as the south-western regions of Belgorod, Bryansk, Voronezh, Kursk and Rostov that border Ukraine.

The leader of the Wagner military group, Yevgeny Prigozhin, said on Saturday that his mercenary fighters had captured the Russian army’s southern headquarters in Rostov-on-Don “without firing a single shot”, and claimed to have the support of locals.

Rostov-on-Don is a southern city in Russia nearly 1,100km from the capital Moscow.

A day earlier, he claimed on Telegram that his troops suffered an aerial missile attack from Russia, whose forces Wagner had been supporting during its invasion of Ukraine.

In response to Prigozhin’s cry to bring down Russia’s military leaders, Russian President Vladimir Putin described Wagner’s actions as “treason” and a “stab in the back” during a televised national address, adding that he would punish the “armed mutiny”.

Russia has tightened security and blocked roads leading to Moscow, while mass events in the city have been cancelled, Mayor Sergey Sobyanin announced.

Russia’s National Anti-Terrorism Committee has also declared a counter-terrorism operation regime in Moscow and Voronezh starting on Saturday.

Russia first staged what Mr Putin terms as its ”special military operation” in neighbouring Ukraine in February 2022.

In its advisory, the Singapore Embassy also advised Singaporeans to remain vigilant and monitor local news closely.

They should take necessary precautions for their personal safety and e-register with MFA at eregister.mfa.gov.sg

Singaporeans in Russia who require consular assistance can contact either the Singapore Embassy in Moscow on 7-499-241-37-02 during office hours, or call its 24-hour emergency hotline on 7-906-009-00-69.

They can also contact MFA’s duty office via its 24-hour hotline on 6379-8800/8855.