Russia Dismisses Reports of Venezuela Embassy Evacuation as 'False'

Moscow Rejects Evacuation Claims

The Russian Federation's Foreign Ministry on Tuesday, December 23, 2025, strongly refuted an Associated Press (AP) report suggesting the evacuation of diplomatic staff and their families from its embassy in Venezuela. Moscow labeled the report a 'lie' and 'false and misleading' through official statements and its Telegram channel.

The denial came in response to an AP report, which cited an anonymous European intelligence official. This official claimed that Russia had begun evacuating women and children, the families of diplomats, from Venezuela starting the previous Friday.

Details of the Associated Press Report

According to the Associated Press, more than a dozen vehicles bearing diplomatic license plates were observed outside the Russian Embassy in Caracas on Monday morning, December 22. While no personnel were seen entering or exiting, all vehicles had reportedly departed by midday.

The European intelligence source quoted by AP indicated that Russian officials were assessing the situation in Venezuela in 'very grim tones,' suggesting heightened concerns about stability in the South American nation.

Geopolitical Context and Russian Stance

The alleged evacuation reports and subsequent denial unfold against a backdrop of escalating tensions in the region. The United States has intensified its pressure campaign against the government of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, including efforts by the U.S. Coast Guard to interdict oil tankers in the Caribbean.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov reportedly spoke with Venezuelan Foreign Minister Yván Gil on Monday, reaffirming Moscow's 'full support' for Maduro's government and expressing 'serious concern' over what Russia described as 'increasingly escalatory actions' by Washington in the Caribbean Sea.

Minister Gil, in turn, accused Washington of 'attacks against vessels and extrajudicial executions, and the unlawful acts of piracy' in the Caribbean. The Russian Foreign Ministry emphasized that Venezuela is a 'friendly country' and urged vigilance against 'Western provocations' and 'fake news.'

Moscow's Reassurance

Despite the AP's claims, the Russian Foreign Ministry maintained that no evacuation of its embassy staff or their families was underway. The ministry's statements underscored Russia's continued solidarity with the Venezuelan leadership and its support for dialogue between Washington and Caracas, while cautioning against actions that could lead to 'unforeseeable consequences for the entire Western Hemisphere.'