Fact Check: Did US pull staff from Kyiv after Russia threats triggered evacuation rumors?

KYIV, UKRAINE: Amid the renewed tensions between Russia and Ukraine, a rumor began circulating on social media platforms claiming that the United States had begun evacuating its staff from Kyiv after threats of strikes from Russia, sparking concerns and speculation. Let us analyze the origins of the viral claim and fact-check it.

Claim: US staff and ambassador were pulled from Kyiv after Russia threats

According to the viral claim, the United States had evacuated its staff from Kyiv, the capital of Ukraine, after fresh threats from Russia to launch missile and drone attacks, after which Moscow allegedly urged foreign nationals to leave the city.

The rumor spread in the form of several photos and videos shortly after reports of Russian warplane activity over Ukraine’s capital, according to Kyiv Independent.

The tensions surrounding the strikes have been looming since March, when a letter warning of missile and drone attacks on Ukraine’s capital began circulating online.

The claim also suggested that the US Ambassador was removed from Kyiv following the threats.

Fact Check: US Embassy operations in Kyiv remain unchanged despite rumors

The claim, however, is false. Kyiv officials confirmed that no foreign embassy had issued an evacuation order even after Russia threatened to launch missile and drone attacks on the capital.

The US Ambassador confirmed there were no plans to relocate and said operations were continuing as usual.

The US State Department, in official updates on the embassy in Kyiv, said there were no changes to staffing or mission operations, though routine security reviews remain common because of the war.

The viral image claiming to show staff evacuating the US Embassy was also from 2022, when a major evacuation took place.

Moreover, officials warned people to rely on information shared through official embassy channels rather than social media posts circulating online.

“Images are often recycled, social media posts are posted, and that’s based on abbreviated quotes,” experts said.

“That means anything can become viral misinformation, especially in places like Ukraine, where the military rhetoric is very strong. Very quickly, misinformation can go viral. The lack of context can make it even more difficult to interpret what is happening.”