KIEV, February 13. /TASS/. US Charge d'Affaires in Ukraine Kristina Kvien and other US diplomats are moving from Kiev to Lvov, Ukraine’s European Pravda online newspaper said on Sunday citing sources in the US diplomatic service.
A Department of State official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, was quoted as saying that the embassy’s key staff, heads of departments and so on, will work in Lvov. According to the official, Charge d’Affaires Kristina Kvein will also move to Lvov. It was an urgent decision to move to Lvov that was taken due to security considerations.
"It is a temporary solution, the embassy’s team will return to Kiev as soon as the security situation allows," the source was quoted as saying.
Only technical personnel will stay in Kiev.
The US Department of State earlier ordered most of its diplomats to leave Ukraine amid the threats of alleged Russia’s aggression. According to Ukrainian Pravda, US diplomats, who occupy non-critical positions, have already left Ukraine.
Canada also suspended the operation of its embassy in Ukraine amid the growing tensions and organized its temporary mission in Lvov.
The West and Kiev have recently been echoing allegations about Russia’s potential invasion of Ukraine. Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov castigated these claims as "empty and unfounded", serving as a ploy to escalate tensions, pointing out that Russia did not pose any threat whatsoever to anyone. However, Peskov did not rule out the possibility of provocations aimed at justifying such claims and warned that attempts to use military force to resolve the crisis in southeastern Ukraine would have serious consequences.