Biden Admin Orders Families of U.S Embassy Staff in Ukraine to Leave Country Amid Russia Border Tensions

The Biden administration ordered the family members of government employees at the U.S. Embassy in Ukraine to leave the country amid heightened tensions over Russia's military buildup on the border.

The U.S. State Department authorized the voluntary departure of direct-hire employees at the U.S. Embassy in Kyiv and ordered the eligible family members to leave the country amid the growing worries of Russian invasion, The Hill reported.

"U.S. citizens in Ukraine should consider departing now using commercial or other privately available transportation options," the department added in its travel advisory.

The State Department further noted that U.S. citizens in Ukraine should be aware that Russian military action anywhere in the country "would severely impact the U.S. Embassy's ability to provide consular services, including assistance to U.S. citizens in departing Ukraine."

Despite ordering the U.S. citizens in Ukraine to leave the country, the State Department did not provide estimates on how many U.S. citizens were in Ukraine because the agency does not have those numbers.

Senior State Department officials said Sunday that the authorized voluntary departure applies to non-emergency U.S. government employees of the U.S. Embassy in Kyiv that now have the option to leave the country if they so choose.

Biden Administration Warns Americans Not to Travel to Ukraine

The travel advisory issued by the State Department advised American citizens not to travel to Ukraine since the border situations in Ukraine are "unpredictable."

"There are reports Russia is planning significant military action against Ukraine. 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 advisory stated.

On the other hand, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) advised Americans not to travel to Ukraine due to the high risk of contracting COVID-19.

The State Department issued the no travel warning came as the U.S. Embassy in Ukraine confirmed that the first shipment of the $200 million security support package from the Biden administration arrived in Kyiv.

Despite the confirmation, the embassy did not provide details on what was included in the security package. Washington had approved the package in December.

"The United States will continue providing such assistance to support Ukraine's armed forces in their ongoing effort to defend Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity against Russian aggression," the embassy said on Saturday.

Russia's Presence in Ukraine's Border

The advisories from the Biden administration came after Russia gathered an estimated 100,000 troops along its border with Ukraine in the past few months.

Russia reportedly started moving troops into Belarus, a country bordering both Russia and Ukraine, in mid-January.

Reports noted that tension between Ukraine and Russia peaked in 2014 when violent protesters ousted Ukraine's pro-Russian president, Viktor Yanukovych. The said demonstration was known as the "Revolution of Dignity."

On Saturday, the U.K.'s Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office said that its office had a piece of information about Russia's government plotting to install a pro-Kremlin leader in Ukraine. Reports noted that the Kremlin wants to replace Ukraine's government with a pro-Moscow administration under former Ukrainian legislator Yevheniy Murayev.

However, Muyarev denied the claim, noting that "this conspiracy theory" was "absolutely unproven" and "absolutely unfounded."

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Joshua Summers

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