US evacuating most Ukraine embassy staff over invasion fears

By MATTHEW LEE
AP Diplomatic Writer

WASHINGTON (AP) — The United States is evacuating almost all of the staff from its embassy in Kyiv as Western intelligence officials warn that a Russian invasion of Ukraine is increasingly imminent. A senior State Department official said Saturday that a very limited number of staff will stay to keep communications open with the government but all consular operations will be suspended. The official would not say how many personnel would remain, but as of December, there were about 180 Americans working at the embassy. Some of those had already left. The official said the step was taken due to the potential for major Russian attacks on Kyiv in the event of an invasion and repeated the warning that private American citizens should immediately leave.