The U.S. ordered most embassy staff to leave Ukraine after warning that Russia could invade at any moment via WSJ
LVIV, Ukraine—The U.S. suspended consular services in Kyiv and ordered most embassy staff to depart after warning that a Russian military invasion could happen at any moment, as Moscow also began withdrawing its diplomatic presence in Ukraine.
“Despite a prudent reduction in our diplomatic staff, our core embassy team will remain in Ukraine with our many dedicated Ukrainian colleagues, the Department of State, USAID and other U.S. personnel across the world,” the U.S. Embassy in Kyiv said in a statement. Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said Saturday that Moscow has decided on a “certain optimization” of staffing at the Russian Embassy in Kyiv and its consulates in Kharkiv, Odessa and Lviv because it feared “certain provocations by the Kyiv regime or third nations.” She said consular services will continue. A security guard outside the Russian Embassy in Kyiv and residents of nearby buildings said Saturday that they haven’t seen any signs of evacuation so far.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Saturday said “we’ve been continuing to focus on our embassy” in Kyiv and that the department would provide more information in the coming hours.
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