Washington calls on its nationals to leave Russia, fearing arbitrary arrests

The United States called on Monday, February 13, its nationals to immediately leave Russia because of the war in Ukraine.

Washington fears arbitrary arrests in retaliation for its military support for kyiv.

© YURI KADOBNOV / AFP

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The United States called on its nationals on Monday, February 13 to immediately leave Russia because of the war in Ukraine.

Washington fears arbitrary arrests in retaliation for its military support for kyiv.

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With our correspondent in Miami

,

The instruction is clear and is issued by the US Embassy in Moscow.

“ 

”, and this “

”, specifies the press release.

The embassy also indicates that American citizens have already been arrested for spurious reasons by the Russian security services.

Some were even convicted without evidence in secret trials.

They have been denied fair and transparent treatment according to US diplomacy while other nationals are being harassed.

Prisoner exchange

So far, only the case of Britney Griner had been publicized last December after a trial described as a comedy by Washington.

The women's basketball star was

for possessing a vaporizer refill containing cannabis.

She was released 294 days later in exchange for arms dealer Viktor Bout, detained in the United States.

The star basketball player had been arrested in Moscow a few days before the start of the war in Ukraine.

And for Washington, not only is Britney Griner's story not isolated, but it risks repeating itself, in retaliation for American support for Ukraine.

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For its part, France has again urged its nationals to leave Belarus without delay because of the armed offensive launched by Russia against Ukraine, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on its website on 

.

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