does georg's friend in the judgment by kafka really exist?

From the text, we can infer that the "friend" in Russia, who Georg corresponds with, really exists.

The Petersburg friend, whom the father all of a sudden knew so well, clutched him as never before. He saw him lost in the vast expanse of Russia. He saw him in the doorway of of the empty, robbed shop. And he stood amongst the pile of ruined shelves, the wares torn asunder, the fallen gas fittings. Why did he have to go so far away!