On Saturday, the US State Department said that the United States was relocating some of its diplomatic personnel from the Ukrainian capital to the city of Lviv amid security concerns. US citizens are being urged to leave Ukraine as soon as possible and Poland has agreed to help Americans depart Ukraine by simplifying the entry procedures, according to the US Embassy in Ukraine.
CBS reported on Sunday that the administration of US President Joe Biden "is preparing to withdraw all US personnel from Kyiv within the next 24-48 hours."
12 February 2022, 23:32 GMT
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said during a press conference in Honolulu, Hawaii, on Saturday, that the departure of most of the American staff at the US embassy in Kiev was ordered because the "risk of Russian military action is high enough and the threat is imminent enough that this is the prudent thing to do."
Blinken said that a core US diplomatic team would remain in Ukraine to continue working there with Ukrainian colleagues.
In the past few months, the West and Ukraine have accused Russia of a troop build-up near the Ukrainian border in alleged preparation for an "invasion." Moscow has denied these accusations, repeatedly stating that it is not threatening anyone and at the same time expressing strong concerns over NATO's military activity near the Russian borders, which it deems a threat to its national security. Moscow has also said Russia has the right to move troops within its national territory.