US Warns Americans, Others Against Travelling to a Popular City in 1 European Country
- The US State Department advised American citizens not to travel to Uman, Ukraine, for the annual Rosh Hashanah pilgrimage to Rebbe Nachman's grave
- Local authorities in Uman warned that the city lacks sufficient air raid shelters to accommodate the expected number of pilgrims
- Ukraine has also scrapped a key exemption that previously allowed some Ukrainian-American dual nationals to leave the country
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The US Department of State has issued a formal warning advising American citizens to avoid travelling to Uman, Ukraine, ahead of the annual Rosh Hashanah pilgrimage to the grave of Rebbe Nachman of Breslov.
The advisory, posted on September 3 by the official @TravelGov account, aligns with the Department's existing Level 4: Do Not Travel designation for Ukraine, the highest possible warning classification.
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Tens of thousands of Jewish pilgrims typically converge on Uman each year during the Jewish New Year period, making it one of the most significant annual religious gatherings in the region.
Russian airstrikes and shelter shortages
The State Department cited the ongoing Russian military campaign as the primary basis for the warning. Since the start of the war, Russian airstrikes have struck civilian infrastructure across Ukraine without warning, including residential buildings and places of worship. Uman itself has not been spared, having suffered strikes on homes and religious sites during the conflict.
Local Ukrainian authorities flagged a critical safety concern: the city does not have enough air raid shelters to protect the full number of pilgrims expected to attend. Given the frequency and unpredictability of aerial attacks, the inability to guarantee shelter access poses a direct and serious risk to those making the journey.
Beyond the threat of airstrikes, Ukraine continues to operate under martial law, which imposes curfew hours and movement restrictions across the country. The State Department noted these conditions would directly affect pilgrims travelling to and within Uman during the religious period.
Dual nationals face conscription risk
The State Department also drew attention to a significant legal change that carries specific implications for US-Ukrainian dual nationals. Ukraine has removed a previous exemption that allowed Ukrainian males aged between 23 and 60 who reside abroad to leave the country after entering. That exemption no longer exists.
As a result, American citizens who hold Ukrainian nationality and fall within that age bracket, including those ordinarily resident in the United States, risk being unable to depart Ukraine if they travel there. They may also be subject to military conscription under Ukrainian law.
The combined warnings represent a comprehensive risk picture for any American considering the pilgrimage: the threat of aerial bombardment, inadequate civilian shelter, movement restrictions under martial law, and the possibility of being unable to leave the country.
US warns Americans travelling to Middle East
Earlier, YEN.com.gh reported that the US Embassy in Qatar had issued a formal security alert to American citizens amid military strikes on Iranian targets near the Strait of Hormuz.
The alert was released shortly after President Donald Trump announced that the strikes had taken place.
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Source: YEN.com.gh
