Due to Vladimir Putin’s escalation of the war in Ukraine, the American Embassy in Moscow is pleading with American residents who are currently living in Russia to leave right away.
The embassy issued a security notice on Tuesday that said in part, “U.S. citizens should not travel to Russia and those resident or travelling in Russia should evacuate Russia immediately while limited commercial travel options remain.”
The warning was issued exactly one week after Putin hinted at using nuclear weapons and declared an intensification of Russia’s conflict in Ukraine on September 21. Following Putin’s declaration, thousands of Russians left the nation recently.
The embassy advised Americans to make independent travel plans “as soon as feasible” because there aren’t many commercial aeroplane choices, but there are still available overland vehicle and bus routes. The embassy stated that it only has a few choices to assist Americans in Russia, and those options “may suddenly become even more constrained.”
In addition, the advisory forewarned Americans that Russia would try to block dual nationals from leaving the country, deny them access to consular services, and even draught them into the military. The embassy further stated that fundamental human rights including the freedom of expression and the right to peaceful assembly are not protected in Russia.
The embassy issued a warning: “Avoid all political or social protests, and do not take pictures of security personnel at these events.” “American citizens who took part in demonstrations have been detained by Russian authorities.”