The State Department urged US citizens to leave Belarus immediately in a travel advisory update on Monday. “U.S. citizens in Belarus should depart immediately via commercial or private means,” the State Department said, news agency MIA informs.
The advisory warned the situation in Belarus was “unpredictable” due to an increase in unusual and concerning Russian military activity near the border with Ukraine,” the advisory warned. Previously, the US government had merely advised its citizens to regularly reassess exit plans in case of emergencies.
Travel to Belarus was already advised against – the highest risk category 4 still applies. Most recently, the State Department had ordered family members of US government employees to leave Ukraine’s northern neighbor. Russia is massively increasing its troops in Belarus on the Ukrainian border.
The State Department also revised its travel advice for Moldova – another country bordering Ukraine.
