U.S. urges its citizens to leave Belarus, refrain from traveling to Russia, Poland

MINSK. Aug 21 (Interfax) - The United States embassy in Minsk on Monday urged its citizens to leave Belarus following the closure of checkpoints on the border with the European Union.

"U.S. citizens in Belarus should depart immediately. Consider departing via the remaining border crossings with Lithuania and Latvia, or by plane. U.S. citizens are not permitted to enter Poland overland from Belarus. Do not travel to Russia or to Ukraine," the statement published on the embassy's official website said.

The embassy recommended refraining from traveling to Belarus and warned about its restricted capacity to assist U.S. citizens living or traveling in Belarus.

The embassy recalled Lithuania's recent closure of two checkpoints on the border with Belarus and noted that "the Polish, Lithuanian, and Latvian governments have stated that further closures of border crossings with Belarus are possible."