The U.S. ordered the departure of family members of personnel at its embassy in Ukraine on Sunday, citing Russia's continued threat of military action.
Officials at the State Department disclosed that the decision was made out of "abundance of caution" and that the threat to American personnel in Ukraine has not increased in recent days.
The State Department said on its website in a travel advisory that there are reports that Russia is planning significant military action against the country.
Additionally, the State Department authorized voluntary departures of American government employees and advised them to consider leaving immediately.
The officials indicated that they would not provide evacuation flights at this time, advising Americans to take commercial flights instead, warning that State Department assistance would be severely impacted if Russia carried out military action in the country.
According to the latest intelligence assessment shared with various news outlets this week by the Ukrainian Defense Ministry, Russia has now deployed more than 127,000 combat personnel in the region.
Jen Psaki, the White House press secretary, last week said that Russia was capable of launching an invasion "any time."
The State Department's travel advisory noted that security conditions, particularly along Ukraine's borders, in Russia-occupied Crimea, and in Russia-controlled eastern Ukraine, are unpredictable and can deteriorate without warning.
Late Sunday, the New York Times reported that Vice President Joe Biden was considering deploying several thousand U.S. troops to NATO allies in Eastern Europe and the Baltic states.
U.S. officials are still unsure of Russian President Vladimir Putin's intentions or even if he has decided to invade. However, according to some officials who have seen the intelligence, there is evidence that Russia is plotting to seize Kyiv and destabilize the government.
Britain's foreign office said in a statement on Saturday that it has information that the Russian government is considering "installing a pro-Russian leader in Kyiv" while deciding whether to invade and occupy the country.
The British Foreign Office claimed on Saturday that Russia was attempting to install a pro-Russian leader in the country, an allegation that Russia dismissed as "misinformation."
In a Saturday interview, Germany's defense minister Christine Lambrecht called for a de-escalation of tensions, adding that Germany would not provide any weapons to Ukraine.
Officials would not provide an estimate of the number of U.S. citizens currently in Ukraine. The State Department's travel advisory for Ukraine remains at level 4, indicating that travelers should avoid the country.
