US State Department lowers travel risk for nine western Ukrainian oblasts

The U.S. State Department has updated its travel advisory for Ukraine, lowering the risk level for nine regions, according to a statement released on Thursday.

Overall, Ukraine remains at a Level 4 risk (Do Not Travel), with the State Department advising against travel to the country due to the full-scale war.

However, the updated advisory notes that some regions may have a lower risk level due to air defense capabilities and distance from active combat zones.

Travel to the Volyn, Lviv, Zakarpattia, Ivano-Frankivsk, Chernivtsi, Ternopil, Rivne, Khmelnytskyi, and Zhytomyr oblasts is now at a Level 3 risk. The United States notes that the security situation can change rapidly, and travelers should be prepared to leave immediately without any warning.

Ukrainian Ambassador to the U.S. Oksana Markarova highlighted that this is good news for Ukrainian-American business, and the embassy "worked hard" to achieve this.

She noted that the Level 3 designation will significantly facilitate visits to Ukraine by representatives of businesses, organizations, and institutions.

In February 2023, Washington urged Americans to leave Russia immediately "due to the war in Ukraine and the risk of arbitrary arrest or harassment by Russian law enforcement agencies" or even mobilization for war for those with dual citizenship.