US warns Americans in Russia with dual citizenships, leave or risk being forced into war effort

The U.S. Embassy in Moscow on Wednesday urged Americans with a dual U.S.-Russia citizenship to leave Russia or risk being forced into Russia's escalating war on Ukraine.

"Russia may refuse to acknowledge dual nationals' U.S. citizenship, deny their access to U.S. consular assistance, prevent their departure from Russia, and conscript dual nationals for military service," the embassy said in a security alert.

The warning follows Russian President Vladimir Putin last week ordering about 300,000 men registered in the Russian military being drafted to help in the roughly 7-month-long war on Russia.

Russian men have been fleeing to the border after the order, which Putin has called a "partial" military mobilization.

The embassy warning also urges U.S. citizens are urged to not travel to Russia – saying it has "severe limitations" on helping them – and that Americans should make "independent arrangements" to leave Russia as soon as possible while land routes are still open.

Commercial flight options are "extremely limited at present and are often unavailable on short notice," the embassy said.

Officials also urged U.S. citizens remaining in Russia to "avoid all political or social protests and do not photograph security personnel at these events," following several having already been arrested for protesting the Kremlin.