The US tells citizens in Russia to leave immediately

The United States of America has told its citizens in Russia to leave immediately because of the war in Ukraine and the danger of possible harassment and arbitrary arrests by Russian law enforcement agencies.

“American citizens who reside or travel to Russia must immediately leave”, the US Mission to Russia said in a updated travel council issued by the US State Department.

“Choose increased care due to the risk of wrong stops”.

Russian security services have arrested American citizens on false charges, isolated American citizens in Russia for ban and harassment, denied them fair and transparent treatment, and sentenced them in secret trials or without presenting credible evidence”.

Russian security services have increased arbitrary implementation of the “laws to target foreign and international organisations they consider the <x1 undesirable “ ”.

Some American citizens remain banned in Russia, including Paul Whelan, a former American businessman who American officials say is being wrongly banned.

He was arrested in Russia in December 2018 and sentenced to 16 years in prison. The US has repeatedly advised its citizens not to travel to Russia and leave the country immediately if they are there