To avoid being enlisted in the Russian military, US citizens in Russia are encouraged to leave the nation as soon as possible, the US Embassy in Moscow said in a security notice on Tuesday.
The embassy issued a warning that Russian authorities may refuse to recognize those who hold dual Russian-US citizenship and may prevent them from receiving US consular aid, citing the continuing partial mobilization that the Russian government announced last week. Additionally, it issues a warning that dual citizens would face restrictions on travel and might possibly face military conscription.
The letter advises US citizens to “make independent arrangements” to leave the country “as soon as possible,” warning that doing so is getting more challenging due to congested border controls and the current “very restricted” number of flights out of Russia.
The embassy also issues a warning that conditions in Russia, especially transportation alternatives, may “suddenly become much more constrained,” impacting its capacity to help US residents.
The security advisory advises US citizens to stay away from Russia and urges those who are already there to leave as soon as there are still some commercial travel alternatives available.
The warning from the US embassy comes after Russian President Vladimir Putin last week launched a partial mobilization that intends to enlist around 300,000 reservists nationwide to assist control Russian-held territories and the 1,000-kilometer contact line with Kiev’s forces in Ukraine.
Many Russian males who are of military age have chosen to leave the nation after the news was made in order to dodge the military conscription. Chaos has followed from the unexpected evacuation at border crossings with nearby nations like Kazakhstan and Georgia, where visitors from Russia are not subject to visa requirements. On the next dates, all flights from Russia to countries that don’t need visas are sold out.
The U.S. Embassy’s capacity to help American individuals is severely constrained, and circumstances — including access to transportation — might deteriorate at any time.
The embassy also issued a warning to any Americans considering demonstrating, stating that “freedom of speech and peaceful assembly are not guaranteed.”
Karine Jean-Pierre, the press secretary for the White House, said on Tuesday that when Putin mobilized, the White House will grant political refuge to persons escaping Russia.
However, she made no mention of a special program designed for Russians, whose country is subject to a number of sanctions from the United States and other western nations as a result of Russia’s savage invasion of Ukraine in February.
The message they are delivering to us, she said, is quite clear: This war that Putin initiated… is unpopular. We are witnessing rallies in the streets of Russia and people signing petitions. There are Russians who do not wish to participate in Putin’s war or give their lives in support of it.
She spoke following the release of numerous videos from Russia depicting assaults on military recruitment facilities and new recruits being informed that they will be sent to the front, where it is estimated that tens of thousands of Russian military personnel have been killed or injured, according to U.S. and British officials.
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