Abroad|Travel restrictions
The State Department warns that Americans may be harassed by the authorities in Russia.
The United States the Foreign Ministry instructs the country’s citizens not to travel to Russia. Dated for Sunday in the travel bulletin the guideline is justified, among other things, by the tense situation and possible harassment of Americans.
According to the press release, harassment may also be committed by the security authorities of the Russian administration and local laws may be used arbitrarily. The press release notes that the mission’s capabilities to assist Americans in Russia are limited.
In particular, Americans are being asked not to travel near the Russian-Ukrainian border, where the situation is described as unpredictable.
In addition, the Foreign Ministry points out that the risk of coronavirus infection is high in Russia.
Only a short time earlier, the State Department ordered family members of U.S. diplomats to leave Ukraine “because of the continuing threat of Russian military action”. The U.S. administration has previously allowed non-essential embassy staff to leave the country voluntarily.
State Department recommends that Americans also avoid traveling to Ukraine. In addition, the United States has appealed to the Americans in Ukraine to consider leaving the country, as evacuations may not be possible following a possible Russian attack. However, the US Embassy in Kiev is still open.
The White House has warned that an Russian attack will happen “anytime”.
Last month, the State Department estimated that there were 10,000 to 15,000 U.S. citizens in Ukraine.
Russia has amassed tens of thousands of troops and military equipment on its border with Ukraine. The movement has been heavily criticized in the United States and Europe, but so far the situation has not been successfully eased through diplomacy.
Russia has refused to plan an attack but has demanded, among other things, that NATO’s military alliance not expand eastwards as a guarantee of peace.
A meeting of EU foreign ministers will be held in Brussels today to discuss the security situation in Europe and Russia’s recent actions on the Ukrainian border.
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