The attack on Ukraine and subsequent war has led to an “increasingly unpredictable” situation in Russia, the foreign ministry wroteExternal link on Friday, and it is possible that things could “suddenly deteriorate”.
This week Russia added Switzerland to a list of countries deemed “unfriendly”, which means it’s not possible to rule out “retaliation measures” aimed at Switzerland or at Swiss citizens, the ministry said.
As such, it “recommends that Swiss nationals whose presence is not urgently needed leave the country temporarily and by their own means”, noting that direct flights between Russia and Switzerland are no longer available due to the closure of European airspace to Russian planes.
“The decision to leave the country is an individual decision,” the foreign ministry added.
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Switzerland listed as ‘unfriendly’ country by Russia
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Moscow published the list on Monday after being hit by Western financial sanctions. All corporate deals with companies and individuals from the so-called “unfriendly countries” now have to be approved by a government commission, according to Reuters. The list follows a presidential decree on March 5 allowing the Russian government, companies and citizens to temporarily…
Swiss citizens in Russia are advised to adhere to the rules of local authorities, to stay clear of all types of demonstrations, and to avoid making political statements. If the situation in Russia were to get worse for Swiss people, the embassy in Moscow has only “very limited, or even no possibilities” to help, the foreign ministry said.
A helplineExternal link is also available for Swiss citizens abroad with urgent questions.
At the end of 2018, there were 732 Swiss nationals living in Russia.
Is reforming the Swiss pension system still possible, and if so, how?
Solutions still need to be found to meet the challenge of an ageing population and to improve the pensions of low-paid workers, the majority of whom are women.
Switzerland to step up humanitarian aid to Lebanon and Syria
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The Swiss government decided to allocate an additional CHF7 million to the two countries in response to the escalating violence in the Middle East.
Report exposes widespread hygiene issues in Swiss hospitals
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A Swissmedic report found that nearly all of the 25 Swiss hospitals inspected had issues with disinfecting, sterilising and packaging of medical products.
Swiss bank Mirabaud closes brokerage unit due to poor performance
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The move spanning the bank’s global operations means a loss of 17 jobs, including five each in Switzerland and the UK, and seven in Spain.
Guterres condemns Israel’s plan to label UNRWA a terrorist organisation
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UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has spoken out against a law proposed by the Israeli parliament that would classify UNRWA as a terrorist organisation.
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The Swiss federal technology institute ETH Zurich is the best university in continental Europe, according to the Times Higher Education ranking.
NGO accuses tobacco industry and Switzerland of human rights violations
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The anti-smoking NGO OxySuisse has accused tobacco companies of violating human rights and the Swiss authorities of being complacent.
Swiss public broadcaster no longer has staff in Moscow
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Following the introduction of strict new information laws in Russia, the Swiss public broadcaster SRF no longer has journalists reporting directly from Moscow.
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