The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine has published an appeal to its citizens with a request to leave Russia and refrain from traveling to the territory of the Russian Federation, since the provision of consular assistance may be limited due to the crisis. Kiev also allowed a break in diplomatic relations with Moscow and offered to close the border with Russia and Belarus. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine recommended that compatriots in Russia immediately leave the territory of the Russian Federation, and also refrain from traveling there. Relevant recommendations appeared on the website of the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry.

According to the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry, the decision is connected "with the intensification of Russian aggression against Ukraine." In Kiev, they offer citizens to refrain from any trips to Russia, warning of a significant limitation in the possibility of providing consular assistance on the territory of the Russian Federation in a crisis.

The agency stated that “neglect of these recommendations will significantly complicate the provision of adequate protection for Ukrainian citizens in the Russian Federation.”

As noted in the ministry, in the event of circumstances requiring an immediate consular response, citizens can contact the Ukrainian Embassy in Moscow, as well as the country's consulates in St. Petersburg, Rostov-on-Don, Novosibirsk and Yekaterinburg.

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Closing the border

The Verkhovna Rada also registered a draft resolution on an appeal to the head of state with a request to close the border with Russia and Belarus, according to the website of the parliament.

The document provides for the declaration of martial law in the Donetsk and Lugansk regions and the termination of transport links with Russia.

The explanatory note to the draft resolution clarifies that its adoption is due to the fact of Russia's "military aggression" and the creation of "occupation administrations" by it in the territories of Donetsk and Luhansk regions. The authors of the document also accuse Russia of violating "the principles of international law and international obligations." The initiative was initiated by Oksana Savchuk, a deputy from the Svoboda party.

In addition, on February 23, Ukraine introduced additional restrictions in regions adjacent to Russia, Belarus, as well as the DPR and LPR.

“Additional temporary regime restrictions are being introduced in areas bordering the Russian Federation, Belarus, the temporarily occupied territory of Ukraine and adjacent to the sea coast,” the Ukrainian State Border Committee reported on Facebook.

It will not be possible to stay in these areas at night, the movement of vehicles (except for military, special or agricultural) is prohibited on routes that are not in the register of highways and lead to the state border. They also introduced restrictions on the stay of foreigners, the use of radio transmitters, flights of light-engine and unmanned aerial vehicles, and filming of personnel and facilities of the State Border Service.

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Severance of relations

The Verkhovna Rada also registered a draft resolution on sanctions against deputies of the State Duma of the Russian Federation who voted for the recognition of the sovereignty of the DPR and LPR. The Rada approved the sanctions by a majority of votes, arguing that the decision of the State Duma deputies “is aimed at a threat to the national security of Ukraine, as well as its territorial integrity.” They indicated that the Russian deputies "are directly related to lobbying the interests" of the Russian Federation "on the territory of Ukraine, including the occupation of part of the territory of Ukraine."

Restrictions are introduced for 10 years against 351 State Duma deputies. This decision must now be approved by the National Security and Defense Council.

In addition, two drafts on the severance of diplomatic relations with Russia were submitted to the Rada. The first one was introduced by the deputy from the European Solidarity faction Oleksiy Goncharenko, the second one was made by the deputy Oksana Savchuk.

In addition to individual deputies, the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry called on to break off relations with Russia, turning to President Volodymyr Zelensky. The diplomatic department called the decision to break off relations "timely and thoughtful."

Zelensky said that he had received a request from the Foreign Ministry and promised to consider it. The decision has not yet been made, but Chargé d'Affaires of Ukraine in Russia Vasily Pokotilo was summoned to Kiev for a consultation (since March 2014, there has been no Ukrainian ambassador in Russia, the diplomatic mission is headed by a Charge d'Affaires).

According to the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Dmytro Kuleba, relations between the Russian Federation and Ukraine "sank below the bottom." He pointed out that the issue of breaking off relations "one way or another is constantly spinning in the Ukrainian media", but until recently it was "rhetoric far removed from realpolitik".

“Severing diplomatic relations is such the highest measure of punishment,” the head of the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry said.

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Russia evacuates diplomats

Russia has reported about the evacuation of the personnel of the embassy and consulates general in Ukraine.“To protect their lives and safety, the Russian leadership decided to evacuate the personnel of Russian foreign missions in Ukraine, which will be implemented in the very near future,” the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

Since 2014, the embassy and consulates general in Kiev, Odessa, Lvov and Kharkov have been repeatedly attacked, according to the agency. The ministry also pointed to acts of aggression against Russian diplomats. They received death threats, their cars were set on fire. At the same time, as indicated in the department, the Ukrainian authorities did not react to what was happening.

bbabo.Net