Ukraine: US orders families of embassy staff to evacuate

The US order to evacuate diplomats' families comes amid fears that Russia is preparing to attack Ukraine.

Relatives of US diplomats stationed in Kyiv should start leaving Ukraine, the US State Department said on Sunday.

The State Department advised against traveling to Ukraine due to "increased threats of Russian military action" and COVID-19.

In a travel advisory published on its website, the State Department said that there were reports Russia is planning significant military action against Ukraine.

What else did the State Department say?

Besides ordering the departure of eligible family members of Kyiv Embassy staff, Washington also authorized the voluntary departure of embassy employees. According to the AP news agency, their departure is at the US government's expense.

"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's travel advisory said.

"Demonstrations, which have turned violent at times, regularly occur throughout Ukraine, including in Kyiv."

AP cited State Department officials as saying that the embassy will remain open and the announcement does not constitute an evacuation. They added that the move does not reflect an easing of US support for Ukraine and had been under consideration for some time.

What is the situation in Ukraine?

The announcement comes in the wake of Western and Ukrainian concerns over Russian military build-up along its border with Ukraine.

On Saturday, the British Foreign Office claimed that Russia was seeking to install a pro-Russian leader in Ukraine, a claim which Russia called "misinformation."

Germany's defense minister Christine Lambrecht called for the de-escalation of tensions in a Saturday interview, adding that Germany would not supply arms to Ukraine.

Friday talks between the United States and Russia failed to produce any major breakthroughs on the issue.

The United States has ordered the departure of family members of Kiev embassy staff