Slovakia recommends avoiding travel to Ukraine, pulls out diplomats' families

Poland, which also has a border with Ukraine, also advised citizens against non-essential travel to the country, its Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Saturday, but has not yet decided to evacuate diplomatic staff or urged citizens to leave the country. "Due to the changing security situation caused by military and political escalation on the part of the Russian Federation, Poland's Ministry of Foreign Affairs advises against non-essential travel to Ukraine," the ministry said in a tweet.

Slovakia recommended its citizens avoid travel to neighbouring Ukraine, and is pulling out family members of diplomats at its embassy in Kyiv and a consulate in the western city of Uzhhorod, the Foreign Ministry said on Saturday. EU and NATO member Slovakia shares a near 100 km (60 mile) border with Ukraine in the east.

"The decision is based on an evaluation of the latest shared intelligence information that speaks about further deterioration of the security environment and escalation of tensions," a ministry spokesman said. Poland, which also has a border with Ukraine, also advised citizens against non-essential travel to the country, its Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Saturday, but has not yet decided to evacuate diplomatic staff or urged citizens to leave the country.

"Due to the changing security situation caused by military and political escalation on the part of the Russian Federation, Poland's Ministry of Foreign Affairs advises against non-essential travel to Ukraine," the ministry said in a tweet. A spokesperson for Poland's Ministry of Foreign Affairs declined to provide any details about potential evacuation plans.

Russia has massed more than 100,000 troops near its border with Ukraine https://www.reuters.com/world/biden-putin-speak-ukraine-warnings-mount-2022-02-12, and the United States said on Friday an invasion could come at any time. Moscow denies plans to invade, saying it is defending its own security interests against aggression by NATO allies. Washington has also urged its citizens in Ukraine to leave as soon as possible, a call echoed by a number of European Union countries and Britain, Japan and others.

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