‘Russians lured & hunted’: Moscow warns citizens against travelling to US, Canada and EU

Russia has warned its citizens not to travel to the United States, Canada and some EU countries in the coming weeks claiming that their is a risk of them being “hunted” by authorities in those nations.

Issuing the warning, Russia’s Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova claimed that the US intelligence services had recently started “luring” Russian nationals abroad in order to press political charges against them which are not revealed to the public.

‘Travelling to US fraught with risk’

During a weekly briefing, Zakharova said that there has been “growing confrontation in Russian-American relations, which are on the verge of collapse due to Washington actions.”

“Travelling to the United States privately or on official business is fraught with serious risks,” she claimed.

Avoid travelling to US and its allied nations

The Russian Foreign Ministry has also urged citizens of her country to not just avoid non-emergency travelling to the US, but also to its allied nations, particularly Canada and some European Union countries during the upcoming holiday period and in the future.

She labelled these countries as US “satellites”, and said this was the ministry’s first travel advisory linked to potential prosecutions.

“Our compatriots have long been hunted in the direct sense of the word by US intelligence services,” she said.

Warning for Russians who are already in the US

A warning has also been issued for Russians who are already in the US. They have been asked to avoid situations where they could become “victims of provocations” and face arrest under the pretext of violating local laws.

“If the attention shown to Russian citizens by Americans is becoming suspicious and intrusive, it may make sense to cut off these contacts and reconsider travel plans,” Zakharova said.

Tit for Tat? US also issues warning against travelling to Russia

Meanwhile, the US has also advised its citizens against travelling to Russia, warning that they could face harassment, detention by security officials, or arbitrary enforcement of Russian laws based on their nationality.

The tensions between Russia and the US have been continuously increasing with both accusing each other of wrongful imprisonments and harassment of diplomats. Both have accused each other of detaining citizens on fabricated charges.

Russia and the US diplomatic ties are reportedly at their lowest point since the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis, largely due to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.

The US has been Ukraine’s largest supporter, providing $62bn in military aid since Russia launched its full-scale invasion on February 24, 2022. President Joe Biden’s administration has also very recently authorised Ukraine to use US-made long-range tactical missiles for strikes deep into Russian territory, a move that angered Moscow and prompted it to lower its nuclear threshold.

With inputs from agencies.