Canada announced on Tuesday (January 25th) the repatriation of the families of diplomats stationed in Kiev due to the "
Russian military deployment
" on the border between Ukraine and Russia, after similar decisions by the United States and the United Kingdom.
Read alsoUkraine: Washington ready to ban the export of technology to Russia
“
We have taken the decision to temporarily withdraw the children under the age of 18 of Canadian employees from the embassy as well as their family members
,” the foreign ministry said.
The Canadian government cites "
the current Russian military deployment and destabilizing activities in and around Ukraine
" to justify its decision.
Moscow denounces an "exacerbation of tensions"
Washington had announced on Sunday the recall of certain diplomats and their families, before the United Kingdom on Monday.
A decision, however, considered "
premature
" and "
excessive
" by the Ukrainian authorities.
The Kremlin on Tuesday denounced the alerting of thousands of American troops, seeing it as a new "
exacerbation of tensions
" by Washington.
Tensions around Ukraine have risen sharply in recent weeks.
Read alsoUkraine: Russia launches military maneuvers in the South and in Crimea
The Russian armed forces on Tuesday launched a new series of maneuvers near Ukraine and in annexed Crimea, involving 6,000 men, fighter jets and bombers.
Western leaders have agreed to respond with one voice to a possible "
attack
" on Ukraine by Russia, by imposing sanctions of unprecedented severity on Moscow, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Tuesday.
