The United States on Dec. 29, 2025, maintained its highest-level travel warning for Russia, urging Americans not to visit “for any reason,” according to the U.S. Department of State.
This is a Level 4 alert, and the risk factors are still the same but the summary statement from the State Department has been updated. The warning mentions the potential risks of the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine, the possibility of being harassed and arrested by Russian authority personnel, arbitrary application of local laws, and terrorism.
The State Department said Americans in Russia should leave right away, warning that the U.S. government has limited ability to help—especially outside the Moscow area. It said the U.S. Embassy in Moscow has reduced staffing and that Russian restrictions on embassy personnel, along with the suspension of operations at U.S. consulates in Russia, have further narrowed consular services.
It is explicit in its advisory that a Russian may not grant consular access to Americans and that Americans may serve their sentence in prison before release. It is also true that dual citizens of U.S.A.—Russia may be at more risk since it may not recognize U.S.A. citizenship and access may be denied to U.S.A. diplomats.
The Department of State also warns travelers to presume their use of electronics and communication is being surveilled, points out U.S. credit and debit cards are no longer accepted in Russia, and indicates there are limited air travel services available and subject to change.
