MOSCOW, December 25. /TASS/. Russia views the US statements calling on American citizens to leave Belarus as a provocation, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said at a briefing.

"We view this latest statement from the US as a provocation, just like the previous ones," the diplomat said.

According to Zakharova, this is not the first statement of its kind from the US Department of State. "For example, Washington issued similar so-called warnings in August 2023. This is their favorite tactic," she remarked. "They use it to escalate tensions and issue veiled threats ahead of significant events, particularly elections, in countries that do not align with their interests, or to influence the elections in some way," she explained.