Russia says 3 citizens kidnapped in Myanmar

MOSCOW

Three Russian citizens have been kidnapped in Myanmar, with their captors demanding a ransom for their release, according to Russian media reports on Tuesday citing consular section of the embassy in the Southeast Asian country.

The embassy confirmed it is handling three such cases but did not specify where or when the abductions took place.

"Currently, we are handling three similar appeals regarding Russian citizens from their relatives and acquaintances. Notes have been sent to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Myanmar regarding all these cases. In order to quickly locate and assist Russian citizens, the embassy maintains contact with local authorities," it said.

The report follows another incident last week, when Ivan Melnikov, vice president of the Single Coordination Center for Assistance to Compatriots Abroad, said an unidentified group had kidnapped a Russian photo model in Myanmar.

Melnikov said the kidnappers demanded approximately $10,000 for her release and noted he had sought assistance from the Russian Foreign Ministry’s Third Asian Department in repatriating the abducted individuals.

Over the past year, Russian media has documented at least six cases of Russians being freed from fraudulent call centers in Myanmar. Three individuals were repatriated with help from Thai authorities and the Russian Embassy in Bangkok. Two others escaped on their own, were detained by the Thai military for illegal border crossing, and later deported. A sixth person, a Russian woman, was repatriated from China.

Russian Ambassador to Myanmar Iskander Azizov warned that dozens of Russians could be held against their will in such call centers, often trafficked from neighboring Thailand. He said determining the exact number of affected citizens is difficult, as many enter Myanmar illegally.