The State Department has updated its travel warning for Americans planning to or already visiting Russia. On Tuesday, the agency reissued a Level 4 travel warning for Russia that was announced in May.
As part of the warning, the State Department urged any Americans already in Russia to leave immediately. The agency warns that it has limited resources available to assist Americans if they are detained in Russia. In addition, Americans who have been charged with crimes may not be able to receive assistance from the US embassy while detained in Russia.
“US citizens can serve their entire prison sentence without release. The risk of wrongful detention of US citizens remains high. Even if a case is wrongly determined, there is no guarantee of release.”
The Americans reported that they were detained and interrogated without any reason or credible evidence against them.
The State Department also warns of an ongoing military conflict between Russia and Ukraine that has “destabilized security in southwestern Russia.” Martial law has been declared in several areas of Russia further restricting freedoms in the country.
American officials warn that Russia is not recognizing American citizenship for those who have dual citizenship with Russia. The agency further requests:
-
Russia has blocked US consular officials from visiting detained US-Russian dual nationals.
-
The Russian government forced people with dual citizenship to join the military and prevented them from leaving the country.
-
In 2022, Russia began to draft citizens for the war in Ukraine. The military draft is still going on.
-
Failure to comply with Russian dual citizenship laws and regulations may result in arrest.
Although the warning says to leave Russia immediately, it may be difficult for some. US-issued debit and credit cards no longer work in Russia and sanctions have made it “almost impossible” to send electronic money transfers from the US
Air travel is also extremely difficult to secure at the moment and may not be possible in the short term.
“If you wish to leave Russia, you should make your own travel plans. The US Embassy can only offer limited assistance to US citizens trying to leave. Transportation options may become even more limited at any time,” reads the advisory.
If Americans decide to visit or stay in Russia, the State Department advises:
-
Be prepared for the possibility of detention for an unknown amount of time, possibly for no clear reason, and without the ability to contact your embassy or anyone else for help.
-
Assume that all communications and electronic devices in Russia are monitored by Russian security services. Russian security services have arrested US citizens and other foreign nationals based on information found on electronic devices.
-
Prepare a will and designate appropriate insurance beneficiaries or power of attorney.
-
Share important documents, login information, and contact points with loved ones so they can manage your belongings if you are unable to return to the United States as planned. Review this list of documents to prepare for your trip.
-
Discuss a plan with loved ones regarding the care and custody of children, pets, property, belongings, non-liquid assets (collections, artwork, etc.), funeral wishes, etc.
-
Leave the DNA samples with your medical provider in case your family needs to access them.
-
Develop a communication plan with your family, employer or host organization. List how and when to confirm you are safe (text or call). Specify how often you will do this.
For more information about the alert, visit the State Department website.
Read the original article on mlive.com.