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On Monday, the State Department issued an evacuation order for family members of US government employees in Belarus, citing “an extraordinary and worrying Russian military buildup along Belarus’ border with Ukraine.”
The warning is noteworthy because it comes just over a week after the State Department ordered a similar evacuation from the US Embassy in Kyiv, causing Ukrainian authorities to accuse the US of fostering fears of a Russian invasion.
Officials from the United States have warned that Russia could be using joint military exercises in Belarus as cover for a northern invasion of Ukraine, allowing Moscow to threaten Kyiv.
The United States has evidence that Russia wants to add 30,000 troops near the Belarus-Ukraine border by early February, according to United States Ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield.
The State Department issued a travel advisory saying, “Due to an increase in unusual and concerning Russian military activity near the border with Ukraine, U.S. citizens located in or considering travel to Belarus should be aware that the situation is unpredictable and that there is heightened tension in the region.”
“Belarusian government restrictions on U.S. Embassy staffing have significantly hampered the US government’s capacity to offer normal or emergency services to US residents in Belarus.”
