INTERNATIONAL: The United States on Sunday has said it was ordering the departure of eligible family members of staff from its embassy in Ukraine and that all citizens should consider leaving due to the threat of military action from Russia.

The United States on Sunday has said it was ordering the departure of eligible family members of staff from its embassy in Ukraine and that all U.S. citizens should consider leaving due to the threat of military action from Russia.

U.S. and Russian diplomats have made no major breakthrough at talks last week and Moscow has been massing troops on the border with Ukraine.

The State Department has said it was authorizing the "voluntary departure of U.S. direct hire employees and ordered the departure of eligible family members from Embassy Kyiv due to the continued threat of Russian military action."

It has added that "U.S. citizens in Ukraine should consider departing now using commercial or other privately available transportation options."