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Is this a big deal because it is the US? FWIW the Australian government has had this sort of warning out for their citizens in Russia for more than a month (at

Is this a big deal because it is the US? FWIW the Australian government has had this sort of warning out for their citizens in Russia for more than a month (at least since 11 January): "If you're in Russia, leave immediately using the limited commercial options available or private means if it's safe to do so. Review your personal security plans and carefully consider the safest means and route to depart.” [1] [1]: https://www.smartraveller.gov.au/destinations/europe/russia https://www.smartraveller.gov.au/destinations/europe/russia

haswell 4y ago
FTA, this is not the first time the US has warned citizens about this either, but renewing this warning in the wake of recent events does seem interesting.
- csydas 4y ago
  I lived in Russia for 6 years prior to the invasion of Ukraine (2022 edition), and I can confirm that the US has frequently warned very heavily for basically all actions in Russia, even during peace times (before the first invasion of Ukraine even). I think even in 2015 when I went the first time, Russia was still on the 2nd level of warning despite overall decent relationships between the two countries at the time. These warnings have been persistent for the last 8 years and in my discussions with the US consulate when I was there, it's less about indicating anything in specific and more about the US protecting its own interests and being as clear as possible that they cannot assist on a lot of things right now due to very limited diplomatic presence. The message that I was told at the consulate during the first Ukraine invasion was "we're very limited on staff and influence; we cannot make you leave, but you need to understand that if you get in legal trouble, we likely cannot help you." (this was a bit after the Saint Petersburg US embassy was closed) While I don't doubt there is some concern about persons being taken for negotiation purposes, I think the major concern is just that the US is not in a position to assist for many foreign citizen services as the diplomatic tensions are far too high right now. Unless you already have good connections in Russia, at best you're stuck in a bad spot without help from the consulate, and at worst there is a chance you become a means of bargaining (though this has always been the case).
  - wrp 4y ago
    I've been in several countries where the State Dept has made a habit of advising Americans not to stay. At least with the crowd I hang out with, it is generally seen as crying wolf. On the other hand, back in Soviet times, false arrests were a political tactic. I have a good story about that... I knew a guy who was in the USSR as a grad student in 1968. When the Soviets invaded Czechoslovakia, he and his fellow American students decided they should exit to the West for a spell, because of that whole false arrests thing. They got on a train and as they were headed to the border, they heard some news about a trumped up smuggling charge when a tourist's baggage was searched. Fearing the same tactic used on them, they went back to the luggage car and searched their own bags. Lo and behold, one guy found an antique silver crucifix in his suitcase. They opened the car window and flung out the crucifix as they passed a field. When they got to the border station, that one guy was singled out by the guards for a very thorough search of his bags, but finding nothing, they had to let him through.
    - w0m 4y ago
      I'm surprised they'd bother actually planting something ahead of time.
      - inglor_cz 4y ago
        Even totalitarian states change over time and Brezhnev's times were characteristic by their bureaucracy. Hence the planting of evidence ahead. 20 years earlier, the intended victims would probably be just kidnapped and shot, but their deaths would be recorded as executions. Putin's era is characteristic by an inordinate amount of "accidents". Hey, change!
    - michaelt 4y ago
      > the State Dept [...] At least with the crowd I hang out with, it is generally seen as crying wolf. If I told you there was a country where you should exercise increased caution because terrorists may attack with little or no warning, targeting tourist locations, major sporting and cultural events, and other public areas - can you guess what country that would be? That's right, it's Belgium [1] I can't imagine what a US State Department travel advisory for travel to the United States would look like.... [1] https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/International-Travel-Country-Information-Pages/Belgium.html https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-tra...

haswell 4y ago

FTA, this is not the first time the US has warned citizens about this either, but renewing this warning in the wake of recent events does seem interesting.

csydas 4y ago
I lived in Russia for 6 years prior to the invasion of Ukraine (2022 edition), and I can confirm that the US has frequently warned very heavily for basically all actions in Russia, even during peace times (before the first invasion of Ukraine even). I think even in 2015 when I went the first time, Russia was still on the 2nd level of warning despite overall decent relationships between the two countries at the time. These warnings have been persistent for the last 8 years and in my discussions with the US consulate when I was there, it's less about indicating anything in specific and more about the US protecting its own interests and being as clear as possible that they cannot assist on a lot of things right now due to very limited diplomatic presence. The message that I was told at the consulate during the first Ukraine invasion was "we're very limited on staff and influence; we cannot make you leave, but you need to understand that if you get in legal trouble, we likely cannot help you." (this was a bit after the Saint Petersburg US embassy was closed) While I don't doubt there is some concern about persons being taken for negotiation purposes, I think the major concern is just that the US is not in a position to assist for many foreign citizen services as the diplomatic tensions are far too high right now. Unless you already have good connections in Russia, at best you're stuck in a bad spot without help from the consulate, and at worst there is a chance you become a means of bargaining (though this has always been the case).
- wrp 4y ago
  I've been in several countries where the State Dept has made a habit of advising Americans not to stay. At least with the crowd I hang out with, it is generally seen as crying wolf. On the other hand, back in Soviet times, false arrests were a political tactic. I have a good story about that... I knew a guy who was in the USSR as a grad student in 1968. When the Soviets invaded Czechoslovakia, he and his fellow American students decided they should exit to the West for a spell, because of that whole false arrests thing. They got on a train and as they were headed to the border, they heard some news about a trumped up smuggling charge when a tourist's baggage was searched. Fearing the same tactic used on them, they went back to the luggage car and searched their own bags. Lo and behold, one guy found an antique silver crucifix in his suitcase. They opened the car window and flung out the crucifix as they passed a field. When they got to the border station, that one guy was singled out by the guards for a very thorough search of his bags, but finding nothing, they had to let him through.
  - w0m 4y ago
    I'm surprised they'd bother actually planting something ahead of time.
    - inglor_cz 4y ago
      Even totalitarian states change over time and Brezhnev's times were characteristic by their bureaucracy. Hence the planting of evidence ahead. 20 years earlier, the intended victims would probably be just kidnapped and shot, but their deaths would be recorded as executions. Putin's era is characteristic by an inordinate amount of "accidents". Hey, change!
  - michaelt 4y ago
    > the State Dept [...] At least with the crowd I hang out with, it is generally seen as crying wolf. If I told you there was a country where you should exercise increased caution because terrorists may attack with little or no warning, targeting tourist locations, major sporting and cultural events, and other public areas - can you guess what country that would be? That's right, it's Belgium [1] I can't imagine what a US State Department travel advisory for travel to the United States would look like.... [1] https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/International-Travel-Country-Information-Pages/Belgium.html https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-tra...