The US State Department on Monday ordered all US citizens in Russia to leave immediately as the war in Ukraine escalates and concerns about arbitrary detentions mount.
“US citizens residing in or traveling to Russia should leave immediately,” the US embassy in Moscow warned. “Exercise extra caution due to risk of wrongful detentions.”
In a harsh message the department also said: “Do not travel to Russia.”
The seal of the United States in front of the US Embassy in Moscow on June 1, 2022 (Photo by Vlad Karkov/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)
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The embassy has warned that its ability to help US citizens in Russia has been severely limited due to staffing constraints, travel restrictions and the suspension of consular services.
All Americans were warned to find their way out of the country immediately and reminded that US debit or credit cards do not work in Russia and electronic funds transfer has become increasingly difficult due to sanctions.
“Russian security services have arrested US citizens on false charges, singled out US citizens in Russia for detention and harassment, denied them fair and transparent treatment, and convicted them in secret trials or without presenting credible evidence,” l added. ’embassy.
Fox News Digital could not immediately reach the State Department for comment on why this warning is being issued now and whether it suggests a looming escalation in the war in Ukraine.
The Kremlin on Monday rejected warnings from the embassy and pointed to similar calls to leave Russia issued by the State Department in September, shortly after Russian President Vladimir Putin mobilized other Russians to join his ranks in Ukraine.
Russian police patrol Red Square in front of St. Basil’s Cathedral in central Moscow February 13, 2023. (Photo by ALEXANDER NEMENOV/AFP via Getty Images)
“[Warnings] have been expressed many times by the State Department in the last period, so this is nothing new,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said according to Reuters.
US experts were divided on Monday on the meaning of the warning and its timing, with Rebekah Koffler, former Defense Intelligence Agency intelligence officer for Russian Doctrine and Strategy, describing the warning as “serious”.
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Koffler pointed out that the announcement came 10 days before Russia’s Soviet Army Day, also known as Defender of the Fatherland Day, and 11 days before the first anniversary of the invasion of Ukraine.
Ukrainian troops load 203mm Pion artillery shells onto a truck February 2, 2023 after the completion of a firefighting mission. Artillery continues to play an important role in defense against Russian invasion. (Photo by Madeleine Kelly/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)
“Putin wants to stake some claim,” he said, warning that he believes Russia will launch a “massive assault” within the next week as it tries to gain ground in Ukraine.
Ukrainian and Western defense officials have been sounding the alarm for months that Russia is planning a major offensive in an attempt to turn the tide after gaining little ground in months.
“There’s no way this war is going but upward,” Koffler continued, asking why the department hadn’t issued another warning to U.S. citizens ahead of the looming offensive.
“Neither side has an exit [strategy]”he said, stressing that both Ukraine and Russia see war as an existential threat and therefore will not give in on the front.
Former CIA Moscow station chief Dan Hoffman said the embassy alert was routine and served to remind Americans of the dangerous situation they find themselves in if they stay in or travel to Russia.
“The bottom line is that we’ve issued these warnings in the past,” he told Fox News Digital. “Just because you released it once doesn’t mean everyone remembers it.
“We don’t make decisions based on calendar dates,” he continued. “I have [served] in many embassies abroad. But what we do is look at the threat and say, ‘it’s still out there, we’ll remind everyone – public service announcement’.”
A group of citizens gather in front of the US embassy in Moscow, capital of Russia, to protest with the flags of Russia and Serbia, April 3, 2022. (Photo by Sefa Karacan/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)
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“There’s a big war going on and… US people are at risk,” Hoffman said. “We must serve our citizens and let them know that this is a dangerous place.
“We probably don’t want more people getting involved in Russia’s extortion,” he added, referring to Americans arrested in Russia such as US Marine Paul Whelan and basketball player Brittany Griner, along with the respective concessions Washington made by trading a drug trafficker ‘International Arms for the WNBA Athlete.
