UK starts withdrawing embassy staff from Ukraine amid Russian invasion threats: Reports

The United Kingdom has started withdrawing diplomats and their families from Ukraine amid growing concerns over a potential Russian invasion. The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) stated that some personnel in Kyiv and their families have started to leave the country. It further added that the embassy will remain open and continue to ensure that essential works are not hampered, the Independent reported on Monday. This comes after the United States asked American diplomats' families to leave Ukraine for the same reason, and offered non-essential embassy personnel flights home, the report stated. 

The FCDO has also advised people to refrain from travelling to Donetsk oblast, Luhansk oblast and Crimea - all regions along the border with Russia.  It has also cautioned against travelling to the rest of Ukraine unless absolutely necessary. Meanwhile, the European Union stated that it has no intentions to withdraw its own diplomatic personnel from Ukraine.

'EU members are united to support Ukraine'

Josep Borrell, the EU's foreign policy leader, indicated that EU foreign ministers are mulling to put a fresh display of resolve and unity in support of Ukraine. "All members of the European Union are united. We are showing unprecedented unity about the situation in Ukraine, with the strong coordination with the US," he added as per the Associated Press (AP). Last week, some of the EU's closest allies -  Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania -  revealed their intention to deploy US-made anti-tank and anti-aircraft missiles to Ukraine.

Russia asks West to stop aggressive anti-Russian info campaigns over Ukraine invasion

It should be mentioned here that Russia has asked the West to stop aggressive anti-Russian info campaigns as well as contributing to Ukraine's militarization. On January 20, the Russian foreign ministry also accused Westen & Ukrainian media as well as officials of speculating about the "Russian invasion." Meanwhile, Moscow also encouraged Kyiv to implement the Minsk agreements. A day earlier, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken stated that Russian President Vladimir Putin is now in a position to start military action against Ukraine anytime, with more than 100,000 troops deployed near Ukraine's border.

Image: AP