WASHINGTON: The US Department of State encouraged US citizens currently in Russia to depart the country "immediately," citing Moscow's escalating military actions in Ukraine and anticipated "harassment" of Americans by "Russian government security officials," according to the department.

The State Department noted in an updated travel advise that the US government's ability to assist US citizens in Russia is "limited" for now, thus Americans should consider departing the country "through commercial means currently accessible," reports read.

Three days after the US Federal Aviation Administration established a "no-fly zone" to span the whole borders of Ukraine and Belarus, as well as the western part of Russia, the European Union closed its airspace to Russian aircraft on Sunday. Flights into and out of Russia are being canceled by an increasing number of airlines.

As a result, the State Department advised US citizens against traveling by land from Russia to Ukraine, citing "the ongoing armed conflict," and urged those living near the Russia-Ukraine border and those planning to travel there "to be aware that the situation along the border is dangerous and unpredictable."

According to the Russian side, the peace talks between the Ukrainian and Russian delegations ended on Monday at the Ukrainian-Belarusian border, with the next round of discussions set for the coming days on the Belarusian-Polish border.

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