LONDON, February 18. /TASS/. The UK embassy in Ukraine is temporarily relocating from Kiev to Lvov, the British Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) said on Friday.
"The British Embassy office in Kyiv is temporarily relocating. Embassy staff are operating from the British Embassy office in Lviv," it said.
British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said on February 15 that the British embassy had relocated some of its staff to Lvov over the alleged threat of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. However, she promised to keep diplomatic presence in Kiev.
The FCDO continues to call on British nationals to leave Ukraine. Those who opt to stay are recommended to "remain vigilant throughout due to potential combat operations, keep their departure plans under constant review and ensure their travel documents are up to date."
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.