On Sunday, the State Department demanded that all American family members at the U.S. embassy in Ukraine be evacuated amid increased Russian intrusion fears.
Dependents of U.S. Embassy staffers in Kyiv were told by the department that they had to leave Ukraine. They also indicated that non-essential personnel could be sent to Ukraine by the government.
The move came amid rising tensions about Russia’s military buildup on the Ukraine border that were not eased during talks Friday between Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in Geneva.
In Kyiv’s city park, Ukraine, members of Ukraine’s Territorial Defense Forces (volunteer military units of Armed Forces) train. In recent weeks, dozens of civilians joined Ukraine’s army reserves amid concerns about Russian invasion.
Russia has denied it is planning an invasion, but Vladimir Putin has issued demands to the West which he says concern Russia’s security, including not allowing Ukraine to join Nato
State Department officials stated that the Kyiv embassies will be open as usual and that this announcement is not an indication of an evacuation.
According to officials, this move has been in consideration for some while and doesn’t reflect an end of U.S. assistance for Ukraine.
According to the State Department, recent reports indicated that Russia planned significant military actions against Ukraine. But, Russia’s Foreign Ministry accused NATO members of inflaming tensions 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.
A 500-meter ribbon is held by people rallying patriotic support for Ukraine on Unity Day (January 22).
On Saturday, thousands of civilians received basic combat training while civilian members trained in the Kyiv Territorial Defence Unit.
In Ukraine, demonstrations, sometimes violent, are a regular occurrence, even in Kyiv.
According to the department’s travel advisory which previously warned against travelling to Ukraine because COVID-19 and tensions over Russia, it was updated Sunday with a stronger warning.
Due to increasing Russian military activity and COVID-19 threats, do not travel to Ukraine. Due to the increased risk of crime and civil unrest in Ukraine, you should exercise greater caution. Some areas may be at higher risk,” the department stated.
Ukrainian flag-wielding people attend the Unity Day patriotic rally on Sophia Square. At the rally, speakers called for Ukraine to join the NATO military alliance.
A Russian rocket launcher is fired during drills in military exercises near Orenburg, the Urals (Russia) last month
It was revealed that President Biden may send several thousand troops and warships to NATO allies in Eastern Europe and the Baltics.
A similar move by the Biden Administration would mark a significant change in tact. The administration has been careful about Ukraine up until now, in part to prevent Russia from invading.
Russian President Vladimir Putin appears to have escalated his threat towards Ukraine, despite the talks appearing to have ended on Friday.
Sources told The New York Times that the U.S. now wants to move away from the previous position of not wanting provoke the Russian government.
Over the weekend, Pentagon officials presented a variety of options to President Biden. Many would allow the American military to move closer to Russia’s border during a meeting at Camp David.
There are several strategies that could be used to relocate troops from 1,000 to 5,000 to Easter Europe. This strategy has the potential for a possible increase of up to 50,000 in the event of an emergency.