The US Embassy in Russia is warning dual citizens to leave the country or risk being drafted into the Kremlin’s mobilization effort to carry out its invasion of Ukraine.
“On September 21, the Russian government began a mobilization of its citizens to the armed forces in support of its invasion of Ukraine,” the embassy said in a statement on Tuesday. security alert. “Russia may refuse to recognize dual nationals as US citizens, deny them access to US consular assistance, prevent their departure from Russia, and conscript dual nationals for military service.”
The warning comes as Russia has been forced to recruit troops from the general population in order to continue its fight. US officials have valued that more than 20,000 Russian soldiers have died since the invasion began in February.
“US citizens … should leave Russia immediately as commercial travel options remain limited,” warned the embassy, which said it was severely limited in its ability to assist US citizens.
Since Russia declared its mobilization, at least 200,000 Russians have leak the country to avoid conscription, crossing the border into countries like Georgia and Kazakhstan.
The Ukrainian army has made significant gains in recent weeks, retaking swaths of territory and advancing into Luhansk and Kherson oblasts.
