France Advises Its Citizens To Leave Russia

France “strongly” asked its citizens on Thursday to leave Russia if their presence there was “not essential” following Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine and the closure of airspace between Russia and the European Union.

“In the context of the invasion of Ukraine by Russia and following the imposition of international sanctions, we must increase our vigilance,” the foreign ministry wrote on its website. Already on Sunday, Paris had recommended French citizens passing through Russia to leave the country.

“Due to the increasing restrictions on air traffic between Russia and Europe, it is strongly recommended that non-resident French nationals in Russia make arrangements to leave the country without delay by existing air links,” the French ministry had earlier said in a travelling notice.

According to the ministry, most European companies, including Air France, have suspended from this Sunday evening flights in and out of Russia after the European on has decided to close its airspace to Russia. In a second travelling notice concerning Belarus, the ministry also asked its nationals to leave immediately Belarus though land borders. “The French in Belarus are invited to leave the country without delay by road, via the border crossing points with Lithuania, Poland or Latvia,” it said. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced on Sunday that the EU would shut its airspace to Russian airlines in response to Russia’s “special military operation” in Ukraine since early Thursday