US issues dire warning for citizens to leave Russia ‘immediately’ and stay away
Ryan King
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The State Department issued a stark warning Monday to all U.S. citizens in Russia, urging them to leave “immediately” amid heightened concerns about wrongful detentions.
For Americans mulling a trip to Russia, the department didn’t mince words: “Do not travel to Russia.” Although it is not immediately clear why officials released the updated travel advisory, military leaders have been sounding alarms that Russia is gearing up for a major escalation in its bloody war against neighboring Ukraine.
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“Do not travel to Russia due to the unpredictable consequences of the unprovoked full-scale invasion of Ukraine by Russian military forces, the potential for harassment and the singling out of U.S. citizens for detention by Russian government security officials, the arbitrary enforcement of local law,” the U.S. embassy in Moscow warned.
The travel advisory warning was a Level 4, which is the highest level the State Department issues for its citizens traveling abroad. The embassy noted that it is straddled by staffing limitations that will make it difficult to assist Americans in the region.
U.S. citizens were also implored to “avoid all political or social protests and not photograph security personnel” due to limited protections within Russia, which has already arrested some Americans who have partaken in demonstrations.
Due to the economic sanctions and international backlash against the Kremlin over the war, options will be “limited” for leaving the country, according to the embassy.
“U.S. credit and debit cards no longer work in Russia, and options to electronically transfer funds from the United States are extremely limited due to sanctions,” the embassy said. “Commercial flight options are extremely limited and are often unavailable on short notice.”
Kremlin officials quickly shrugged off the travel advisory, and recalled that the State Department issued a similar warning in September after Russian President Vladimir Putin moved to bolster the war effort.
“[Warnings] have been voiced by the State Department many times in the last period, so this is not a new thing,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said, per Reuters.
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Russia is widely expected to be gearing up for a winter surge following months of stumbles and setbacks on the battlefield. President Joe Biden will head to Poland on Feb. 20 ahead of the Feb. 24 anniversary of the war in Ukraine.