Ukraine Russia conflict: UK & US withdrawing from Ukraine amid fear of Russian invasion
Despite no specific threats, the UK has started withdrawing its staff from its embassy in Ukraine, as fears of a Russian invasion grow amid rising tension.
Around half of the UK’s staff in Kyiv will return to the UK according to officials, whilst the US has ordered relatives of its embassy staff to leave citing a Russian invasion could happen ‘at any time.’
The move has been described as precautionary and nothing specific is believed to have happened in the past 24 hours to have influenced the decisions made by the UK and the US.
However, there are an estimated 100,000 Russian troops gathered at the Ukraine border – with Russia still saying it has no plans for military action. The head of Nato has warned there is a risk of fresh conflict in Europe.
Despite the UK and US development, the EU staff will, for now, remain in Ukraine, with EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell saying he would not “dramatise” the tensions.
Those belonging to the Nato alliance – including Denmark, Spain, Bulgaria and the Netherlands – are sending more fighter jets and warships to Eastern Europe to bolster defences in the region.
All non-essential American staff have been told by the US they can leave Ukraine whilst stressing it’s not an evacuation. But the State Department told the AFP news agency that if there was a Russian invasion it would “not be in a position to evacuate US citizens”.
Americans have been warned not to travel to Ukraine and Russia due to the “potential for harassment” against them.
Ukraine said it was “premature” of the US to withdraw relatives of staff, calling the decision “a display of excessive caution”.
Ukraine Russia border
RUSSIAN TANKS EN ROUTE TO UKRAINE BORDER
pic.twitter.com/lDEeSZ7AM0— The_Real_Fly (@The_Real_Fly) January 24, 2022
Metro – Russia-Ukraine crisis: A fight to the death
Today’s news summary – Paper Talk
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