Taking into account numerous reports about Russia’s feasible invasion into Ukraine, the Department of State has ordered the departure of all family members of US government employees at the US embassy in Kyiv.
According to the press service, on 23 January 2022, the Department of State authorised the voluntary departure of some US government employees and ordered their family members’ leave in connection with a threat of Russia’s starting military actions.
“These decisions were made out of an abundance of caution due to continued Russian efforts to destabilise the country and undermine the security of Ukrainian citizens and others visiting or residing in Ukraine. We have no higher priority than the safety and security of US citizens, and this includes our US government personnel and their dependents, and the security of our facilities overseas,” the statement reads.
The United States government voiced fear that they would not not be in a position to evacuate US citizens in such a contingency and recommended US citizens currently present in Ukraine to think carefulle about leaving the country, ‘including by availing themselves of commercial options’.
Since November 2021, Russia has been pulling in the troops to its border with Ukraine. Western and Ukrainian intelligence believe that the Kremlin is planning a large-scale invasion, and the territory of Belarus might be used for this purpose as well.
“We continue to pursue the path of diplomacy. But if Russia chooses further escalation, then 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. We are taking this action now because of Russia’s aggressive actions towards Ukraine. It is Russia that has amassed upwards of 100,000 troops on Ukraine’s borders. It is Russia that is conducting disinformation operations and fomenting unrest. As to President Putin’s intentions, we don’t know if he has yet made up his mind to invade, but he is building the military capacity along Ukraine’s borders to have that option ready at any time,” the US side stressed.
