LONDON

British citizens have been advised not to travel to Ukraine and those who are in the country should leave, according to a Foreign Office travel advice update on Friday.

“British nationals in Ukraine should leave now while commercial means are still available,” the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) said.

“Since January 2022, the build-up of Russian forces on Ukraine’s borders has increased the threat of military action,” it said.

The British Embassy in Kyiv will remain open but “will be unable to provide in-person consular assistance.”

“British nationals should leave while commercial options remain,” it added.

The advice also said to those who prefer not to leave Ukraine to “remain vigilant throughout due to potential combat operations, keep your departure plans under constant review and ensure your travel documents are up to date.”

The government advice came amid tensions across the Ukraine-Russia border due to a Russian military buildup.

Ukraine has been plagued by conflict in its eastern regions since March 2014 following Russia’s invasion and annexation of Crimea.

Moscow recently amassed more than 100,000 troops near Ukraine, prompting fears that the Kremlin could be planning another military offensive against its ex-Soviet neighbor.

Russia has denied it is preparing to invade and accused Western countries of undermining its security by NATO’s expansion towards its borders.

The Kremlin also issued a list of security demands to the West, including a rolling back of troop deployments from some ex-Soviet states, and guarantees that Ukraine and Georgia will not join NATO.