The US has updated its travel advice for Ukraine: the highest risk level has been issued

The US State Department has maintained the highest, fourth-level travel advisory for Ukraine – ‘Do Not Travel’. US citizens are advised not to travel to Ukraine, to have their own evacuation plan in place, and to be prepared to leave a dangerous area at short notice. Additional travel restrictions are also in place for staff at the US Embassy in Kyiv.

The State Department’s updated advice is dated 28 August 2026. The travel advisory for Ukraine remains unchanged: the department continues to regard travel to the country as unsafe due to the war and the threat of Russian missile and drone attacks.

Americans are advised to prepare an evacuation plan

The State Department emphasises that Russian missile and drone attacks pose a threat not only to frontline areas. Even regions located far from the front line remain at risk of strikes.

US citizens are advised to have a contingency plan that does not rely on assistance from the US government, to identify exit options in advance, to monitor local news and to respond to air raid alerts. They are also advised to familiarise themselves in advance with the location of the nearest shelters and to keep their documents to hand.

However, the State Department notes that the level of risk may vary depending on the region. In particular, a lower, third-level advisory – ‘Reconsider the necessity of travel’ – is in place for a number of western regions of Ukraine.

Additional restrictions have been introduced for US diplomats

At the same time, the US has tightened restrictions on staff at its diplomatic missions. US government officials require special authorisation to travel outside Kyiv. Furthermore, the State Department does not permit family members of US government officials to join them in Ukraine due to ongoing security risks.

However, the US Embassy in Kyiv remains open. The State Department warns that travel restrictions and other security measures may lead to delays in providing consular assistance to US citizens outside the capital.

Kyiv has come under attack once again

The US warning was updated against the backdrop of further Russian attacks on Ukraine. On the night of 29 August, Russian drones attacked Kyiv. In the Svyatoshynskyi district of the capital, a fire broke out in a flat on the ninth floor of a nine-storey block, and the floors between the flat and the roof were destroyed. In the private sector, two people received medical attention after their homes were damaged.

The attack continued into the morning. Local authorities reported the movement of new groups of drones, whilst the city’s air defence systems were in operation.

Warning of a new strike

Ukrainian media also reported that the US intelligence community had allegedly warned the Ukrainian authorities of a high probability of a new strike on Kyiv and the surrounding region within the next 48 hours, in which up to 25 missiles could be deployed.

However, the details regarding the number of potential missiles and specific targets have not been confirmed in the warning published on the State Department’s website. This information should therefore be considered separately from the official US travel safety advice.