Russian citizens should avoid traveling to the United States due to the risk of arbitrary arrests, Russia’s Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova warned on Wednesday.
Zakharova accused U.S. intelligence agencies of “luring” Russian nationals abroad to press undisclosed political charges against them. However, she did not specify the nature of these charges or cite examples of recent arrests.
“Traveling to the United States privately or on official business carries significant risks,” Zakharova stated during a weekly briefing, according to the Interfax news agency.
She urged Russian citizens to refrain from non-essential travel not only to the U.S. but also to its allied states, including Canada and most European Union countries, particularly during the upcoming holiday season. Exceptions to this warning for EU states were not detailed.
Zakharova described this as the Foreign Ministry’s first travel advisory tied to potential legal actions against Russian nationals.
“Our compatriots have been actively targeted by U.S. intelligence agencies, in the most literal sense of the term,” she alleged.
For Russians currently in the United States, Zakharova advised caution to avoid becoming “victims of provocations” that could lead to arrests under the guise of local law violations.
“If the attention of Americans toward Russian citizens becomes suspicious or intrusive, it might be prudent to sever those contacts and reconsider travel plans,” she added.
