Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. on Wednesday assured that Filipinos in Ukraine would be unharmed amid the Ukraine-Russia border crisis.

In a tweet, Locsin said he was reaching out to countries with common borders with the Eastern European nation to ensure a safe passage out for Filipinos there.

"Rest assured Filipinos in Ukraine will come to no harm; I will be on top of it personally. I'm done in Cambodia in 2 days; then ASEAN-EU in Paris by the 19th. That's close enough to Ukraine to effect their safe passage out," he said.

"Russian Belgograd & Kursk are closest; from west—Poland, Hungary, Slovakia; south— Romania & Moldova border Ukraine but farther from Filipinos in Kyiv than Russian Kursk. Making calls now. Anybody feel like whining stay away from this," he added.

Locsin said the Filipino nationals would be brought to the closest border via land travel.

"I expect the Americans to keep watch as they did and more discreetly in Libyan evacuations and rescues. This is when we know who are our friends and who are just crybabies," he said.

There are around 380 Filipinos in Ukraine, according to the latest data from the Department of Foreign Affairs.

In a recent ANC interview, United Filipino Global Ukraine head Shirley Santosildes said the Philippine government is arranging free repatriation flights, with the earliest scheduled to depart on February 17. Eight have so far registered for the program as of February 15.

The DFA, meanwhile, has yet to provide an updated number of Filipinos who will join the flight. (PNA)

(Photo credits to: Interaksyon)