Axios
The State Department ordered the family members of U.S. government staff in Belarus to evacuate on Monday, citing the "unusual and concerning Russian military buildup along Belarus’ border with Ukraine."
Why it matters: The advisory comes just over a week after the State Department ordered a similar evacuation from the U.S. Embassy in Kyiv, prompting the Ukrainian government to accuse the U.S. of causing a panic over the threat of a possible Russian invasion.
- U.S. officials have warned that Russia may be using joint military exercises inside Belarus as cover for an invasion of Ukraine from the north, potentially allowing Moscow to target nearby Kyiv.
- U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield warned Monday that the U.S. has evidence Russia plans to add an additional 30,000 troops near the Belarus-Ukraine border by early February.
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