Russia has issued a warning to its citizens against travelling to the United States and other Western countries, claiming they could be “hunted” by authorities in those nations.
Maria Zakharova, spokeswoman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, gave the warning during a news briefing on Wednesday, stating that Russians could become entangled in the precarious state of US-Russia relations.
“Trips to the United States of America, whether private or official, carry significant risks,” she said, describing the relationship between the two nations as “on the verge of rupture”.
Zakharova also urged Russians to avoid travelling to Canada and European Union member states, labelling them as US “satellites”.
The United States, in turn, advises its citizens against travelling to Russia, warning that they could face harassment, detention by Russian security officials, or arbitrary enforcement of local laws based on their nationality.
Diplomatic ties between Russia and the US are reportedly at their lowest point since the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis, largely due to the ongoing war in Ukraine.
The US has been Ukraine’s largest supporter, providing $62bn in military aid since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022. Recently, the US authorised Ukraine to use US-made long-range tactical missiles for strikes deep into Russian territory, a move that angered Moscow and prompted it to lower its nuclear threshold.
Russia has also criticised a $20bn US loan to Ukraine, which is backed by profits from seized Russian assets.
“This is a manic attempt to prolong the agony of the Kyiv regime, [Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy], and all the corrupt deals the [US President Joe] Biden administration has built around the situation in Ukraine,” Zakharova told Russian media.
Both countries have accused each other of detaining citizens on fabricated charges.
In August, Russia released three US citizens, including journalist Evan Gershkovich, as part of a prisoner swap mediated by Turkiye. In exchange, the US released Vladislav Klyushin, a Russian businessman convicted in a hacking scheme; Roman Seleznev, the son of a Russian lawmaker jailed for cybercrime; and Vadim Konoshchenok, a Russian security officer extradited from Estonia.
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