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Jan 23 • 4 tweets • 1 min read
Breaking: State Dept announces reducing staff at Embassy in Kyiv. “The Department of State authorized the voluntary departure of US direct hire employees and ordered the departure of eligible family members from Embassy Kyiv due to the continued threat of Russian military action”
Continued: “US citizens in Ukraine should consider departing now using commercial or other privately available transportation options.”
CNN reported Friday that the embassy had requested that the State Department authorize this departure as Russia has continued to mass forces and equipment near Ukraine’s borders, sparking fears of a renewed invasion.  cnn.com/2022/01/21/pol…
On a call with reporters, State Dept officials emphasized that USG will have very limited if any ability to assist US citizens in departing Ukraine if Russia invades, and urged citizens to leave now. State would not provide estimate of # of Americans currently in country.

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More from @NatashaBertrand

Natasha Bertrand Profile picture
Jan 22
Breaking: The UK foreign office said in a statement on Saturday that it has information the Russian government is planning to "install a pro-Russian leader in Kyiv as it considers whether to invade and occupy Ukraine."
“The former Ukrainian MP Yevhen Murayev is being considered as a potential candidate," the British Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office said in a statement.
NSC spokesperson @emilyhorne46 says in response “This kind of plotting is deeply concerning. The Ukrainian people have the sovereign right to determine their own future, and we stand with our democratically-elected partners in Ukraine.”
Read 4 tweets
Natasha Bertrand Profile picture
Jan 22
SCOOP The US embassy in Kyiv requested today that State Dept authorize departure of nonessential staff & families from the embassy.
The US has informed Ukraine that they are “likely to start evacuations as early as next week” of families of diplomats.w/ @mchancecnn @kylieatwood
Ukrainian President Zelensky has spoken to US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, about the matter and told him if the United States took such a dramatic step, it would be an “overreaction," per source close to Ukrainian government.
A State Department spokesperson said that they have “nothing to announce at this time,” adding, “We conduct rigorous contingency planning, as we always do, in the event the security situation deteriorates.” A spokesperson for the embassy declined to comment.
Read 4 tweets
Natasha Bertrand Profile picture
Jan 18
NEW: In addition to considering how to help the Ukrainian military and government fend off an invasion, the US is evaluating options for bolstering Ukrainian forces' ability to resist a potential Russian occupation. cnn.com/2022/01/18/pol…
That includes potentially providing the Ukrainian Army with additional ammunition, mortars, Javelin anti-tank missiles, and anti-aircraft missile systems, which would likely come from NATO allies, a senior US official told CNN.
Biden has said that sending US troops to Ukraine to fight a war w/ Russia is off the table. But special operations forces already rotate in & out of the country to provide training and it is possible that other agencies could provide some support, likely the CIA, an official said
Read 5 tweets
Natasha Bertrand Profile picture
Jan 14
Scoop: The US has information that indicates Russia has prepositioned a group of operatives to conduct a false-flag operation in eastern Ukraine, a US official told CNN on Friday, in an attempt to create a pretext for an invasion. Story to come.
The official said the US has evidence that the operatives are trained in urban warfare and in using explosives to carry out acts of sabotage against Russia’s own proxy forces.
The allegation echoes a statement released by Ukraine’s Ministry of Defense on Friday, which said that Russian special services are preparing provocations against Russian forces in an attempt to frame Ukraine. NSA Sullivan hinted at this intel on Thursday.
Read 5 tweets
Natasha Bertrand Profile picture
Jan 12
New: Senior admin officials say the US has finalized sanctions options in the event that Russia invades Ukraine. The Biden administration has sanctions targets and implementation measures “ready to go to be issued when those tanks cross the border,” one official said.
“The final package will depend upon exactly what scenario we are facing," he added. "But we are no longer at the point where we have just a memo that lays out options. We have concrete actions that we are ready to hit the return key on.”
The US is also aware of the risk that Putin tries to retaliate against any economic sanctions by weaponizing the export of Russian gas to Europe, and officials said contingencies are being planned if that happens.
Read 4 tweets
Natasha Bertrand Profile picture
Jan 8
Sources familiar with the sanctions options said the administration is prepared to impose a range of significant trade restrictions on Russia should it invade Ukraine, including export control measures that could hamper its defense and aviation sectors. cnn.com/2022/01/08/pol…
Through the Foreign-Produced Direct Product Rule that the US has also imposed against Chinese tech company Huawei, the Biden administration is weighing banning exports to Russia of microelectronics —think computer chips—designed with US software or produced using US equipment.
Officials stressed that in the event of an invasion the US will go straight for high-impact targets, explicitly drawing a contrast with the response in 2014. Unlike then, the administration is prepared to adopt a "start high, stay high" approach with regard to Russian targets.
Read 4 tweets

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