The U.S. State Department on Saturday issued a "do not" travel advisory, warning travelers to either exit Ukraine "immediately" or "exercise increased caution" if they choose to stay, in light of a State Department order calling for "most U.S. direct hire employees" to depart from the U.S. Embassy in Kyiv on Sunday.
"On February 12, 2022, the Department of State ordered the departure of most U.S. direct hire employees from Embassy Kyiv due to the continued threat of Russian military action. U.S. citizens should not travel to Ukraine, and those in Ukraine should depart immediately using commercial or other privately available transportation options," an official statement read.
The report adds that those in Ukraine should have "contingency plan[s] in place that does not rely on U.S. government assistance."
On Thursday, President Joe Biden told NBC that "American citizens should leave now. " Biden added "It's not like we're dealing with a terrorist organization. We're dealing with one of the largest armies in the world. It's a very different situation, and things could go crazy quickly."
Also, on Thursday, Russia kicked off its military exercises in Belarus, spurring NATO to increase its own forces in the region, CBS reported.
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