US closes Ukraine embassy and ‘destroys computer equipment’ ahead of expected Russian invasion

The US State Department announced on Monday that it was relocating its limited embassy staff remaining in Ukraine from Kiev, the capital, to Lviv as fears grow of a Russian attack or invasion.

The secretary of state, Antony Blinken, made the announcement early Monday afternoon. The Wall Street Journal reported separately that embassy staff were destroying computer equipment before leaving the building.

State Department officials were “temporarily relocating our Embassy operations in Ukraine from our Embassy in Kyiv to Lviv due to the dramatic acceleration in the buildup of Russian forces,” said Mr Blinken. Lviv is located in the western part of Ukraine, far from the country’s border with Russia and Moscow-aligned Belarus.

Mr Blinken’s announcement followed warnings from US officials that an attack could occur before the conclusion of the Winter Olympic Games, and Ukraine’s president said separately in a Facebook post that he had been informed that an attack was likely to occur on Wednesday. An adviser later specified to some news networks that the president was being sarcastic in an attempt to mock western fears of an invasion.

Employees leaving the Kiev embassy took part in “the destruction of networking equipment and computer workstations and the dismantling of the embassy telephone system”, the Journal reported, citing State Department officials.

Washington’s warnings about a potential Russian incursion or attack have steadily grown in alarm for weeks. Kiev, meanwhile, has largely stuck to urging calm and requesting that the US and its allies not unduly raise fears with their statements about a potential (or inevitable) attack, and previously criticised a US-ordered drawdown of embassy personnel, as well as guidance from the State Department urging Americans to leave the country.

Monday’s announcement from the State Department is likely to cause that criticism to increase unless a Russian attack occurs in the days ahead.

Senior White House officials including National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan have told reporters that they remain in near-constant contact with their Ukrainian counterparts in recent days as more Russian troops continue to arrive near Ukrainian territory.