The FAB (Brazilian Air Force) plane, which rescued Brazilians, foreigners and pets from the war in Ukraine, landed in Brasília around noon this Thursday (10).
According to Itamaraty, there are 43 Brazilians on the flight, 12 of which are minors; 19 Ukrainians with Brazilian family members, three of them children; five Argentines, one being a child; and a Colombian. In total, there are 68 adults and 16 minors.
There are still around ten pets, dogs and cats — the numbers are not accurate.
Upon arriving in the country, Brazilians and foreigners were sent to immigration, where they will be tested for Covid-19. The Ministry of Health has also made vaccines available, if they choose to be immunized.
Animal activist Luísa Mell was also at the Air Base in Brasília. On social media, she was one of the people to pressure for pets to be allowed to board the FAB plane – which was accepted by the government.
After leaving Warsaw, Poland, Ukraine’s neighboring country, the aircraft, a KC-390 Millennium, initially landed at the FAB air base in Recife, where passengers were welcomed with food and music.
Operation Repatriation aims to rescue Brazilians and foreigners from the war in Ukraine, invaded by Russia on February 24.
The flight left Brasilia last Sunday (6), taking donations to Ukraine: 9 tons of high-nutrition food; 50 water purifiers; half a ton of essential supplies and medical items.
President Jair Bolsonaro published a video on Wednesday (9) in which he spoke by video call with Chancellor Carlos França and the crew of the FAB flight.
The chief executive, who has avoided directly criticizing Russia, commented on the war with passengers over the phone: “We regret what happened, we hope for peace. I have my limits and this is happening there, it disturbs the whole world.”
Such as sheet showed, statements sympathetic to Vladimir Putin on the part of Bolsonaro and pressure from agribusiness have been decisive for the Itamaraty to include in its official manifestations at the UN about the conflict in Ukraine, nods to Russia, according to government interlocutors.
In recent days, the Bolsonaro government has endorsed resolutions in the United Nations system that condemn the invasion of Ukrainian territory by Russian forces. But the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has placed in statements signs that contemplate arguments defended by Putin’s government, in a move that worries American diplomats and allies.
Interlocutors say that Itamaraty’s positions have been defined at the highest level and passed through the scrutiny of the Planalto. In some cases, the Minister of Defense, Braga Netto, is also called upon to give an opinion.
