U.S. draws down embassy presence in Ukraine as fears of Russian invasion mount
WASHINGTON — The State Department on Sunday ordered the families of all American personnel at the U.S. Embassy in Ukraine to leave the country amid heightened fears of a Russian invasion.
The department told the dependents of staffers at the embassy in Kyiv that they must leave the country. It also said that nonessential embassy staff could leave Ukraine at U.S. government expense.
The move came after talks Friday between Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in Geneva failed to ease rising tensions over Russia’s troop buildup on the Ukraine border.
State Department officials stressed that the embassy in Kyiv would remain open and that the announcement did not constitute an evacuation. The move had been under consideration for some time and does not reflect an easing of U.S. support for Ukraine, the officials said.
In a statement, the State Department noted recent reports that Russia was planning significant military action against Ukraine. For its part, the Russian Foreign Ministry has accused NATO countries of escalating tensions over Ukraine with disinformation.
The State Department added: “The security conditions, particularly along Ukraine’s borders, in Russia-occupied Crimea, and in Russia-controlled eastern Ukraine, are unpredictable and can deteriorate with little notice. Demonstrations, which have turned violent at times, regularly occur throughout Ukraine, including in Kyiv.”
Slog of trench warfare in eastern Ukraine yields scenes reminiscent of World War I.
The department’s travel advisory, which had warned against traveling to Ukraine because of COVID-19 as well as the tensions with Russia, was upgraded to a stronger warning Sunday.
“Do not travel to Ukraine due to the increased threats of Russian military action and COVID-19. Exercise increased caution in Ukraine due to crime and civil unrest. Some areas have increased risk,” the department said.
The travel advisory for Russia was also changed: “Do not travel to Russia due to ongoing tension along the border with Ukraine, the potential for harassment against U.S. citizens, the embassy’s limited ability to assist U.S. citizens in Russia, COVID-19 and related entry restrictions, terrorism, harassment by Russian government security officials, and the arbitrary enforcement of local law.”
The State Department would not say how many Americans it believes are currently in Ukraine. U.S. citizens are not required to register with embassies when they arrive or plan to stay abroad for extended periods.
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