Singapore, Mar 10 (PTI) Singapore on Thursday cautioned its people not to join the Ukrainian Foreign Legion - a volunteer military unit created by the government of Ukraine to fight against the Russian invasion, saying such an act would be considered "an offence".

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) said it is aware that the Embassy of Ukraine here has received calls from people expressing an interest to join the International Legion for the Territorial Defense of Ukraine.

Also Read | Fake Telegram Account of Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy Urges Ukrainian Forces To Surrender.

It is an offence for any person in Singapore to travel or try to travel to Ukraine to take up arms in the conflict there, Singapore has taken a clear stance on Russia's invasion of Ukraine and strongly condemns the invasion, said the ministry in a statement.

It added that the Singapore government has called upon Russia to cease hostilities, and respect the sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of Ukraine.

Also Read | Russia-Ukraine War: Maternity Hospital Among 18 Ukraine Medical Centers Hit, Says WHO.

"We would like to highlight that it is an offence for any person, whilst in Singapore, to wage, attempt to wage, or abet the waging of war, against the government of any power with which Singapore is not at war," The Straits Times quoted the ministry as saying.

"For citizens of Singapore, in particular, even if they commit these acts whilst outside Singapore, they will be legally deemed to have committed them as if in Singapore, and hence liable for an offence."

Under the law, those who try to do so can be imprisoned for life, or up to 15 years. They can also be fined.

A ministry spokesman said that the police are monitoring the developments in Ukraine closely and is assessing the level of threats here.

It will calibrate both security and public order measures accordingly, and the spokesman added that the police may conduct enhanced patrols where necessary.

“The police would like to remind the public that organising or participating in a public assembly without a police permit in Singapore is illegal and constitutes an offence under the Public Order Act 2009,” the newspaper quoted the spokesman as saying.

The MHA spokesman also said that foreigners visiting or living in Singapore must abide by local laws.

“Those who break the law will be dealt with firmly, and this may include termination of visa or work passes. Members of the public who cause harm to foreigners visiting or living in Singapore will also be dealt with firmly,” he said.

The MHA advised members of the public who wish to help Ukrainians to do so via legal channels.

For instance, they may donate to legitimate organisations, such as the Singapore Red Cross, that are raising funds for humanitarian aid to support affected communities in Ukraine, it said.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)