MOSCOW, June 20. /TASS/. Russia’s Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) has suggested that employees of Ukrainian diplomatic missions abroad flee to Moscow to ensure their safety amid purges of staff disloyal to the Kiev regime, the SVR press office told TASS.

"We address the employees of Ukrainian diplomatic missions and representative offices abroad. If you feel a responsibility for the fate of your homeland and for ensuring peace and stability in Europe, and are under pressure from the criminal regime in Kiev, which is leading Ukraine to a national catastrophe, come to Moscow. We will ensure your personal safety and that of your families," the statement said.

As SVR Director Sergey Naryshkin pointed out, "according to the information received by the Foreign Intelligence Service, the consequences of the continuous degradation of Ukraine’s domestic political, social and economic situation, as well as the repressive administrative methods employed by the Kiev regime are increasingly affecting the staff of Ukraine’s representative offices abroad." "Mass purges are taking place within Ukrainian diplomatic missions aimed at identifying those disloyal to the Kiev regime and ensuring that they are sent back home before the end of their tours of duty," the press office reported.

The SVR pointed out that, under such conditions, in tandem with the mass exodus of Ukraine’s working population from the country, there is a growing trend of representatives of the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry, Defense Ministry, Interior Ministry and special services not returning to Kiev upon completion of their long-term foreign assignments. "The Russian SVR is well aware of the significant number of employees of Ukrainian foreign missions who have already made such decisions or are considering such an option as the most appropriate for themselves and their families," the press office pointed out.

The SVR also added that this is the course of action taken by most employees of Ukrainian diplomatic missions accredited to the EU. "After finishing their long-term [foreign] assignments, they stay in these countries and change their diplomatic status to refugee status. The Russian Foreign Intelligence Service has similar information about employees of Ukrainian diplomatic missions in the Asia-Pacific region," the press office concluded.