Speaking at the ministry's regular press briefing on June 25, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Pham Thu Hang responded to a VietNamNet question about the situation of Vietnamese citizens affected by the fire at the Sadovod shopping center in Russia.

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Foreign Ministry spokesperson Pham Thu Hang speaks at the ministry's regular press briefing on June 25. Photo: Minh Nhat.

According to information from the Vietnamese Embassy in Russia, the fire affected several Vietnamese-owned businesses operating at the shopping center.

Immediately after the incident, embassy officials were dispatched to the scene to assess the situation, work with the shopping center's management and provide timely support to affected traders.

The spokesperson said those affected have since been able to resume their businesses.

The briefing also addressed the situation of Vietnamese citizens following the twin earthquakes that struck Venezuela on June 24.

Pham Thu Hang said Vietnamese citizens living, studying and working in Venezuela are safe. The Vietnamese Embassy in Venezuela is coordinating with local authorities to monitor the situation while providing support and consular protection to citizens affected by the disaster.

She advised Vietnamese citizens requiring emergency assistance to contact the embassy's emergency hotline in Venezuela at +58 424 267 4447 or the Foreign Ministry's 24/7 Citizen Protection Hotline at (+84) 981.84.84.84.

Following reports of the devastating earthquakes, Party General Secretary and State President To Lam on June 25 sent a message of sympathy to Venezuela's Acting President Delcy Eloina Rodriguez Gomez. Foreign Minister Le Hoai Trung, who recently paid an official visit to Venezuela, also conveyed his condolences directly.

Building on the longstanding friendship between the two countries, Vietnam stands ready to provide appropriate support to Venezuela.

According to Acting President Delcy Eloina Rodriguez Gomez, at least 32 people were killed and around 700 injured in the powerful earthquakes that struck Venezuela on June 25.

The main quake was the strongest ever recorded in Venezuela and the country's most powerful earthquake in more than 125 years.

Tran Thuong