US orders evacuation of diplomats' families in Kyiv, DoS does not confirm
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US State Department said it had nothing to comment on reports indicating that the US ordered families of US embassy employees to leave the country.
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The US Embassy in Kyiv (Igor Golovniov / SOPA Images/LightRocket)
According to a Fox News journalist citing US officials, the US State Department ordered families of US Embassy workers in Kyiv to start evacuating from Ukraine on Monday.
CNN reported on Friday that the US Embassy in Ukraine has written to the Department of State requesting permission to send secondary staff out of the country.
Fox News correspondent Lucas Tomlinson tweeted: "State Department orders families of U.S. embassy personnel in Ukraine to begin evacuating the country as soon as Monday: U.S. officials."
BREAKING: State Department orders families of U.S. embassy personnel in Ukraine to begin evacuating the country as soon as Monday: U.S. officials
— Lucas Tomlinson (@LucasFoxNews) January 22, 2022
According to Sputnik, the US Department of State has not confirmed allegations that the families of US Embassy workers in Kyiv have been evacuated from Ukraine.
On Saturday, a State Department spokesperson informed Sputnik: "We have nothing to announce at this time," adding "we conduct rigorous contingency planning, as we always do, in the event the security situation deteriorates."
The State Department spokesperson also stated that if the US decides to evacuate diplomats' families from Ukraine, they should not expect the evacuation to be sponsored by the government.
The State Department spokesperson explained, "We are already at a Level Four travel advisory for Ukraine for COVID and have advised that U.S. citizens should be aware of reports that Russia is planning for significant military action against Ukraine."
"If there is a decision to change our posture with respect to American diplomats and their families, American citizens should not anticipate that there will be U.S. government-sponsored evacuations," he noted, adding that "currently commercial flights are available to support departures."
Reports: Germany to Evacuate Families of Embassy Staff From Ukraine If Needed
According to Bild German newspaper, which cited sources, the German Foreign Ministry is working on a plan to evacuate the families of embassy personnel in Ukraine if the situation worsens.
Bild said the plan calls for the evacuation of relatives of diplomatic workers from Ukraine if the situation worsens further.
