Feb 28, 2022: On the fifth day of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the U.S closed its embassy in the Belarussian capital, Minsk, and allowed non-emergency workers and their families to leave its embassy in Moscow.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced in a statement Monday that he would suspend operations at the Minsk embassy and allow departure from Moscow.

A photo posted on Twitter by U.S ambassador to Belarus Julie Fisher showed mission staff lowering the American flag.

“Belarus’ complicity in Russia’s war against Ukraine has shown the regime’s loss of sovereign decision-making,” Fisher said in a tweet.

“The United States of America has suspended operations of our embassy in Minsk. All American staff have departed Belarus,” she said.

The latest withdrawal comes as Russian President Vladimir Putin placed Russia’s nuclear deterrent on high alert on Sunday in response to Western retaliation for its war against Ukraine. Amid Russia’s growing economic and political isolation following the invasion of Ukraine last Thursday, ceasefire talks between Russian and Ukrainian officials began on the Belarusian border.

The Ukrainian presidency said the talks should include a full withdrawal of Russian troops.

Earlier, the U.S had moved its Ukrainian embassy from the capital, Kyiv, to the western city of Lviv two weeks ago when Russian forces gathered on Ukraine’s border. Also on Monday, the United States barred Americans from engaging in any transactions involving Russia’s central bank, dealing another blow to the country’s economy.

U.S. officials say sanctions are likely to increase Russian inflation, weaken its purchasing power and reduce investment.

Russia, meanwhile, barred airlines from 36 countries from using Russian airspace on Monday, while European countries and Canada moved on Sunday to close their airspace to Russian aircraft.

The U.S iwhich is considering similar action, but has yet to make a final decision, over the weekend urged citizens to consider leaving Russia immediately on commercial flights amid the increasing flight cancellations.

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