U.S. orders evacuation of most diplomatic staff in Ukraine

The U.S. State Department on Saturday ordered most of its staff at the embassy in Ukraine to evacuate, suspending the regular consular services, reported Xinhua.

In an updated travel advisory posted on the website of the embassy, the State Department said it "ordered the departure of most U.S. direct hire employees from Embassy Kyiv due to the continued threat of Russian military action."

Passport, visa and other routine consular services will be suspended starting Sunday, but the United States will maintain a small consular presence in the western Ukrainian city of Lviv to handle emergencies, it added.

The update came two days after Washington urged all U.S. citizens to leave Ukraine immediately.

U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan told reporters Friday at the White House that U.S. nationals should evacuate within 48 hours, citing unspecified intelligence purporting a Russian invasion of Ukraine at any moment.

The State Department has been told in recent days that a "couple thousand" Americans are still in Ukraine, a "substantial number" of whom do not want to leave, a senior State Department official said during a call with reporters on Saturday.