• The Russian Foreign Ministry warns citizens to avoid non-essential travel to the U.S., Canada and certain EU countries, citing political targeting risks.
• Maria Zakharova, the Foreign Ministry spokeswoman, describes Russian-American relations as “teetering on the verge of rupture,” due to ongoing tensions, particularly over Ukraine.
• Zakharova alleges the U.S. is “hunting down” Russian nationals and using “fraudulent schemes” for politically motivated prosecutions, citing extradition cases like Vadim Konoshchenok and Vladislav Klyushin.
• The warning follows the August 2023 prisoner swap involving Russian nationals, including Klyushin and Konoshchenok, exchanged for U.S. citizens Evan Gershkovich and Paul Whelan.
• Both Russia and the U.S. have issued warnings to their citizens, with the U.S. cautioning Americans about potential harassment or detention in Russia.

The Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has warned its citizens to avoid non-essential travel to the United States, Canada and certain European Union countries.

The advisory, issued by Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova during a press briefing on Wednesday, Dec. 11, highlights concerns that U.S. authorities could target Russian nationals for political reasons.

Zakharova stated that travel to the U.S. poses “serious risks” due to the “increasing confrontation in Russian-American relations,” which she described as “teetering on the verge of rupture.”

She urged Russian citizens to refrain from visiting the U.S., Canada and EU countries, particularly during the upcoming holiday season. The spokeswoman also cautioned travelers to avoid situations that could lead to detention under the pretext of violating local laws.

The warning comes amid deteriorating relations between Moscow and Washington, exacerbated by the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. Both Russian and U.S. diplomats have characterized the current state of affairs as the worst since the 1962 Cuban missile crisis.

The U.S. has provided Ukraine with significant military and financial support, including $62 billion in aid since the beginning of Russia’s special military operation in February 2022. In September, the U.S. authorized Ukraine to use long-range tactical missiles, a move that drew sharp criticism from Moscow. (Related: White House tells Ukraine to lower conscription age from 25 to 18 to funnel more young men to the front lines killing fields.)

U.S. allegedly “hunting down” Russian citizens

Zakharova accused the U.S. of “hunting down” Russian nationals and using “fraudulent schemes” to lure them abroad for politically motivated prosecutions. She cited several high-profile cases, including the extradition of Russian citizens from European countries to face charges in the U.S.

For example, Vadim Konoshchenok was arrested in Estonia on a U.S. warrant, while Vladislav Klyushin was extradited from Switzerland in 2021. Other notable cases include the prosecution of businessman Viktor Bout and pilot Konstantin Yaroshenko, both of whom were returned to Russia in prisoner swaps in 2022.

The Russian Foreign Ministry also referenced the August 2023 prisoner swap, which involved the release of Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich and former U.S. Marine Corps veteran Paul Whelan in exchange for several Russian nationals, including Klyushin and Konoshchenok.

Zakharova claimed that the U.S. justice system “leaves no room for a fair trial,” suggesting that Russian citizens abroad are at risk of being wrongfully detained.

In response to the Russian advisory, the U.S. has issued its own warnings to American citizens traveling to Russia, cautioning that they may face harassment, detention or arbitrary enforcement of local laws based on their nationality.

Watch this clip of Maria Zakharova discussing how the U.S. has detained Russian journalists.

This video is from the channel Cynthia’s Pursuit of Truth on Brighteon.com.

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Sources include:

RT.com

AlJazeera.com

Reuters.com

Brighteon.com