US asks citizens in Ukraine to leave 'immediately' using ground transport amid ongoing war

The US embassy in Kyiv on Wednesday urged Americans stranded in Ukraine to depart immediately using safe ground transportation mode as the security situation continues to deteriorate amid escalating Russian assault. Citing renewed threat from changing security situation, the embassy, in a revised travel advisory, directed all US citizens "not to travel to Ukraine due to the active armed conflict."

"U.S. citizens in Ukraine should depart immediately if it is safe to do so using any commercial or other privately available ground transportation options," the statement by the US embassy in Kyiv said.

"U.S. citizens should not travel to Ukraine due to the active armed conflict," it added.

The US also urged citizens to carefully monitor government notices and local and international media outlets for information about changing security conditions and alerts to shelter in place. "Those remaining in Ukraine should exercise increased caution due to the potential for active combat, crime, and civil unrest," the order stated. Notably, the US Department of State had suspended operations at its embassy in Kyiv, effective February 28, 2022. All in-person consular services in Ukraine have also been suspended until further notice.

The advisory comes against the backdrop of increased hostilities by Russian armed forces after Russian President Vladimir Putin on February 24 ordered an all-out war on Ukraine. On Wednesday, there have been reports of explosions again in the Ukrainian capital Kyiv and surrounding areas. According to reports, air raid sirens have gone off in the city again. Meanwhile, in Ukraine's Kherson region, soldiers of the Russian Armed Forces, dressed in civilian clothes, were heading towards the city of Mykolaiv. According to Ukraine's armed forces, Russian troops, in violation of International Humanitarian Law, also continue to "hide arms and military equipment among residential buildings and in rural premises the objects of spodar". 

Russia invades Ukraine

It is pertinent to mention that Russia and Ukraine have locked horns since 2014 after Moscow invaded Ukraine's Crimean peninsula and annexed it, leading to a rise in human rights oppression, arbitrary imprisonment, and abuse of local population and foreigners, the US State Department said. Russia-led forces also took control of the Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts, where conflicts in 2014 killed nearly 14,000.     

The Russia-Ukraine war has now waded into its 14th day with large-scale devastation and destruction pushing the ex-Soviet nation towards the largest humanitarian crisis in Europe, as per the UN. At least 2,000 civilians have been killed and 1,000 more injured in the embattled ex-Soviet nation, while nearly 1.5 million have been internally and externally displaced. Putin, however, defended his decision, saying that the attack was in retaliation to escalating Ukrainian artillery, sniper, and sabotage unit attack on Donbass region, which were identified as independent on February 21, effectively annulling the Minsk Accord.

(Image: AP)