US citizens face growing danger as government advises swift departure from one country

02 Jan 2026 By foxnews

The State Department has renewed its "do not travel" advisory for Russia.

The existing travel advisory was reissued this week without edits, with the State Department citing a myriad of high risks related to terrorism, wrongful detention and "arbitrary enforcement of local laws."

The advisory comes as the nearly four-year war between Russia and Ukraine continues to escalate.

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Officials have limited ability to help Americans after the embassy in Moscow reduced its staff and consulates in Russia have suspended operations, the advisory notes.

"U.S. citizens in Russia should leave immediately," it states. "Russian officials often question and threaten U.S. citizens without reason."

The advisory says there is precedent for Russian security services arresting Americans on false charges.

"They have denied them [Americans] fair treatment and convicted them without credible evidence."

Travelers were also told to reconsider bringing electronic devices into the country. It should be assumed that all electronic communications and devices are monitored.

Due to sanctions, American debit and credit cards no longer work in Russia and "sending electronic money transfers from the United States to Russia is nearly impossible," it says.

The alert says tourists who decide to go to Russia should "be ready for the possibility of detention for an unknown amount of time."

"Log out of all social media accounts and do not access your social media accounts while in Russia," the advisory also instructs. "Prepare a will and designate appropriate insurance beneficiaries or power of attorney."

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President Putin recently claimed that Ukraine launched a large-scale drone attack early Monday against a presidential residence in the Novgorod region, involving 91 long-range drones that were intercepted by Russian air defenses.

Russia's defense ministry shared footage showing a masked soldier standing next to drone wreckage, saying the wreckage was recovered from the attack.

The ministry claimed the drone carried a high-explosive warhead "filled with a large number of striking elements" intended to hit civilian targets.

Russia's border areas with Ukraine have been under martial law since October 2022, according to the advisory.

Under martial law, authorities can set curfews, seize property, restrict movement, detain foreigners, forcibly relocate residents and limit public gatherings.

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"Russian authorities have questioned, detained and arrested people for 'acting against Russia's interests,'" the advisory states.

The U.S. government has issued other travel advisories in recent weeks. As tensions increase between Thailand and Cambodia, for example, the government warned Americans about traveling to the border area of the two countries.

The U.S. Embassy in Thailand issued a security alert to American tourists Dec. 16, warning of an "escalation of armed conflict" at the popular Asian destination.

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"U.S. citizens should avoid all travel within 50 kilometers [about 31 miles] of the Thailand-Cambodia border, due to active hostilities and the unpredictable security situation," the alert said.

Fox News Digital's Morgan Phillips contributed reporting.