Bilateral relations collapse
The US Embassy in Moscow urged American citizens to urgently leave Russia, by sending relevant email notifications. At the same time, the embassy announced a reduction in the proposed consular services.
FROM 12 May, the US Embassy will issue an extremely limited number of immigrant visas. Visas will be issued only for questions, "Concerning life and death". Nonimmigrant visa processing for non-diplomatic travel will be discontinued.
US citizens, whose Russian visa is expiring, recommended to leave the country before 15 June. American diplomatic mission "in the foreseeable future" will not offer notary services, consular birth reports abroad or passport renewal services. The Embassy has offered to send email inquiries to topics, who needs a new US passport, if the situation is emergency.
“If you are a US citizen in Russia and your visa expires, we recommend leaving Russia before 15 June, deadline, established by the Russian government ", - notifies the embassy. It explains, that this is allegedly connected with the notification of the Russian government of its intention to prohibit the American diplomatic mission from hiring foreign citizens in any capacity.
The United States imposed another batch of sanctions against Russia in mid-April, Russian diplomats were also hit. Washington stated, that expels ten employees of the Russian diplomatic mission from the country, giving them a month to collect. Russia reacted. In addition to the mirrored expulsion of ten American diplomats, Moscow announced, which stops the activities of American foundations and NGOs, controlled by the State Department and other American government agencies, and introduces personal sanctions against eight current and former U.S. administration officials.
Besides, the US embassy will no longer be allowed to hire Russian citizens, and American diplomats remaining in Russia will be restricted from freedom of movement around the country. Moscow also announced the termination of the practice of short-term business trips of State Department employees to Russia., by minimizing the number of Russian visas issued for this purpose - no more than ten per year.
Although Washington links its notification of the need to leave Russia with a "diplomatic war", the date itself “to 15 June "suggests some analogies. from 15 June close to 22 June, when Nazi Germany attacked the USSR; shortly before this date, German citizens also hurriedly left our country, although Berlin did not publicly make such an appeal to them.
Usually they roll up diplomatic relations so radically and recall their citizens from the country., they are going to attack. This is what Germany did in 1941 year, the USA has done this more than once. In May 2014 of the year, then US President Barack Obama urged American citizens to leave Libya, where the war soon began. In November 2011 of the year, the American embassy in Damascus appealed to US citizens in Syria to "leave this country immediately.". In February 2003 a similar statement was made with regard to Iraq, and a month later, the invasion of the US Armed Forces took place. AT 1998 year this happened with Yugoslavia.
Russia is not Yugoslavia or Iraq, but the US demarche is not a rank-and-file. Moreover, the demarche was undertaken against the backdrop of the beginning of the largest NATO maneuvers in Europe Defender Europe and fierce anti-Russian propaganda.
Landing of US troops in Europe
The maneuvers started 5 May in the Albanian port of Durres. In total, about 40 thousands of people. The scenario of the exercise is indicative: alliance countries and their allies will "Reflect the attack of a potential aggressor, and then they will go over to the counteroffensive ". It is planned to practice defensive and offensive actions in Eastern Europe and the Baltics; unlike in past years, special attention will be paid to non-Eastern, in Southeast Europe. Maneuvers planned in Montenegro, Kosovo and Albania with the participation of the local military. Air defense exercises to be held in Bulgaria and Romania, Hungary will serve as the rear.
“We continue to closely monitor the situation, the progress of the transfer and deployment of NATO forces in Europe as part of the exercises Defender Europe. Observing the transfer of the 53rd Infantry Brigade of the 29th Division of the U.S. National Guard, who arrived the day before yesterday at the Albanian port of Durres. With them 750 units of military equipment ", - said 27 April Sergei Shoigu at a meeting of the Council of Defense Ministers of the CSTO member states in Dushanbe. These NATO exercises are the largest in recent 30 years.
As stated by the first deputy chairman of the State Duma committee on international affairs Dmitry Novikov, commenting on the start of NATO maneuvers Defender Europe, such teachings have political overtones. "The best way to ensure the protection of your territorial integrity and sovereignty is to maintain your own armed forces in the necessary combat readiness.", - noted Novikov.
One way or another, a recommendation for all US citizens to leave Russia before 15 June is an alarming sign. Joe Biden's administration should actively reduce the risk of military conflict between the United States and Russia, says the author of the American edition The National Interest Bonnie Christian. "The main goal of Washington's strategy with Moscow should be peace", - American writes.
The title photo: 360tv
Vladimir Malyshev
