Under threat from Moscow, Kyiv calls up reserves and urges Ukrainians to leave Russia 'immediately'

Ukraine on Wednesday urged its citizens to leave Russia immediately, citing the threat of a Russian invasion that could complicate the provision of consular services. “Because of the escalating Russian aggression against Ukraine, which can lead to a substantial reduction in possible consular assistance in Russia, the foreign ministry urges the citizens of Ukraine to refrain from travel to Russia, and for those in that country to leave its territory immediately,” the ministry said. The Ukrainian military issued an order to mobilise reservists on Wednesday after Russia ordered its forces to prepare to secure rebel-held areas in the country’s east. “Reservists aged 18 to 60 will be called up… The call will start today. The maximum service life is one year,” Ukrainian Ground Forces said, in a Facebook message. This, as UK foreign minister Liz Truss said on Wednesday that Russian president Vladimir Putin is highly likely to launch a full-scale invasion of Ukraine and attack Kyiv. The UK and US have repeatedly over the last weeks cited intelligence as indicating that Russia is planning an invasion of Ukraine. “We think it’s highly likely that he (Putin) will follow through on his plan for a full-scale invasion of Ukraine”, Truss told Sky News. Asked if the Russian leader would move on the capital Kyiv, she said: “We think it’s highly likely that that is in his plans.” While Putin has said he is sending troops, “we don’t yet have the full evidence that that has taken place”, Truss said, calling the current situation “ambiguous”. Truss held frosty talks earlier this month with her Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov in Moscow. Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Tuesday announced the first tranche of UK sanctions targeting five Russian banks and three billionaire oligarchs. Truss said Wednesday that the UK needed to “retain some sanctions in the locker” and had “more individuals that we will target in the event of a full-scale invasion”. Meanwhile, Japan said Wednesday it will impose sanctions on Russia and individuals linked to Ukrainian regions controlled by pro-Kremlin separatists, after Moscow ordered troops into the rebel “republics”. The decision follows similar measures by the United States, Britain and the European Union. Japan strongly condemns Russia’s actions “that infringe on Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, violating international law”, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida told reporters. “From the viewpoint of responding to the issue in cooperation with the international community, Japan decided to impose sanctions.” The Japanese sanctions include a ban on issuing visas to individuals linked to the “so-called two republics” as well as freezing their assets and barring trade with the regions. There will also be a ban on the issuing and trade of Russian government bonds in Japan. Kishida said further sanctions were possible if the situation worsened. The United States welcomed the announcement, praising Japan for taking “decisive action”. “Our allies and partners are speaking with one voice about our shared goals,” US Ambassador to Japan Rahm Emanuel said in a statement. With inputs from AFP