Russia began evacuating its embassy in Kyiv, and Ukraine urged its citizens to leave Russia on Wednesday as the region braced for further confrontation, after President Vladimir Putin received authorization to use military force outside his country and the West responded with sanctions.
Hopes for a diplomatic way out of a new, potentially devastating war in Europe appeared all but sunk as the U.S. and key European allies accused Moscow on Tuesday of crossing a red line in rolling over Ukraine’s border into separatist regions — with some calling it an invasion.
Russia began pulling personnel from its diplomatic posts in Ukraine, a day after the Foreign Ministry announced a plan to evacuate, citing threats.
According to the Associated Press, the Russian flag is no longer flying over the embassy in Kyiv. Police have surrounded the building.