Family members of US embassy staff in Kyiv told to leave Ukraine

Families of US embassy staff in Kyiv have been told to leave Ukraine due to the ‘threat of military action’

Amid ever-heightening fears of a Russian invasion of Ukraine, the US State Department has on Sunday, January 23, ordered the family members of all American staff at the US Embassy in the capital Kyiv, to leave the country as soon as possible.

All non-essential staff have also been informed that they can leave Ukraine at any time, at the expense of the US government. This is not an evacuation, just a precautionary measure, and the embassy will remain open stressed officials from the State Department.
Last Friday’s meeting in Geneva between US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, and his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov failed to bear fruit, and now, tension is at its highest level as a result.
Officials were quick to point out that this action does not represent any change in US support for the government of Ukraine, and that it had been under consideration for some time as a safety measure for American civilians.

Both sides appear to be accusing each other of being responsible for the heightened tension in the region. With 100,000 Russian troops camped out near the Ukrainian border, the US has been insistent that an invasion was being planned. This has been opposed by the Russian Foreign Ministry who have blamed disinformation by NATO as the reason for the escalation.

“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”, the State Department wrote in a statement.

“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”, was a message from the department’s travel advisory, as reported by dailymail.co.uk.

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