With airlines canceling their flights into and out of Russia, the U.S. Embassy in Moscow on Sunday said Americans should consider departing the country "immediately," or risk being unable to leave.
In a security bulletin, the embassy stated that because flights are being canceled and several countries have closed their airspace to Russian airlines, Americans in Russia should try to leave the country "immediately via commercial options still available."
In January, the U.S. State Department issued a "Level 4: Do Not Travel" advisory for Russia, due to the buildup of Russian troops along the border with Ukraine. With the Russian invasion of Ukraine starting on Thursday, the State Department on Friday issued a security alert telling Americans to avoid the areas of Russia along the border with Ukraine and "have a contingency plan that does not rely on U.S. government assistance."
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Before the invasion, Americans were encouraged to leave Ukraine as well, and the State Department's Bureau of Consular Affairs tweeted on Sunday that those now trying to escape should "consider routes and risk" when deciding how to get out. "Many Polish land border crossings and main Moldovan crossings have long waits," the agency said. "We recommend Hungary, Romania, and Slovakia border crossings. Waits may be hours."
-
The ‘menopause gold rush’Under the Radar Women vulnerable to misinformation and marketing of ‘unregulated’ products
-
Voting Rights Act: SCOTUS’s pivotal decisionFeature A Supreme Court ruling against the Voting Rights Act could allow Republicans to redraw districts and solidify control of the House
-
No Kings rally: What did it achieve?Feature The latest ‘No Kings’ march has become the largest protest in U.S. history
-
The Baltic ‘bog belt’ plan to protect Europe from RussiaUnder the Radar Reviving lost wetland on Nato’s eastern flank would fuse ‘two European priorities that increasingly compete for attention and funding: defence and climate’
-
How should Nato respond to Putin’s incursions?Today’s big question Russia has breached Nato airspace regularly this month, and nations are primed to respond
-
Russia’s war games and the threat to NatoIn depth Incursion into Poland and Zapad 2025 exercises seen as a test for Europe
-
What will bring Vladimir Putin to the negotiating table?Today’s Big Question With diplomatic efforts stalling, the US and EU turn again to sanctions as Russian drone strikes on Poland risk dramatically escalating conflict
-
The mission to demine UkraineThe Explainer An estimated quarter of the nation – an area the size of England – is contaminated with landmines and unexploded shells from the war
-
Ottawa Treaty: why are Russia's neighbours leaving anti-landmine agreement?Today's Big Question Ukraine to follow Poland, Finland, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia as Nato looks to build a new ‘Iron Curtain' of millions of landmines
-
How drone warfare worksThe Explainer From Ukraine to Iran, it has become clear that unmanned aircraft are rapidly revolutionising modern warfare
-
How long can Nato keep Donald Trump happy?Today's Big Question Military alliance pulls out all the stops to woo US president on his peacemaker victory lap
