The German Foreign Ministry has tightened the instructions on traveling to Russia and called on its citizens to leave the country. If earlier the warning concerned mainly the regions bordering Ukraine, now it extends to the entire territory of Russia.
The German agency has warned that the risk of drone attacks remains throughout Russia. Moscow, St. Petersburg and the Leningrad Region have become the targets of mass drone strikes more and more frequently in recent months. "Despite the significant strengthening of the anti-aircraft defense system around Moscow, the drone attacks and the fall of their fragments have resulted in damages, which in a number of cases have been quite significant," the instructions say. Berlin considers the regions of Belgorod, Bryansk, Kursk, Voronezh and Rostov as the most dangerous, as well as the Krasnodar region.
Against the background of the ongoing war, the level of risk may increase rapidly, and the security situation may deteriorate sharply, the ministry writes. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs also warned about possible disruptions in air communication. Due to drone attacks, restrictions are regularly imposed on the operation of airports in Russia, which leads to flight delays and cancellations. Fuel supply disruptions in individual regions are also mentioned in the recommendations.
In addition to the threat of drone strikes, the document also lists other risks of being in Russia. German citizens and persons with dual citizenship of Germany and Russia have been warned of the risk of arbitrary arrests and limited opportunities for consular assistance. For those who remain in the country anyway, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs advises them to avoid crowds, closely follow official security announcements and register with the ELEFAND crisis notification system.
At the end of last year, the US State Department reaffirmed the fourth, highest level of travel danger for Russia and urged its citizens to refrain from visiting the country, and those who are already there to "leave immediately". As the main risks, the American authorities mention the ongoing armed conflict between Russia and Ukraine, the arbitrary application of Russian legislation, the risk of arrest and the possible threat of terrorist acts.
