Russia starts pulling diplomatic staff from Ukraine amid rising tension

Kyiv (Ukraine):Russia's state Tass news agency reported on Wednesday that Russia has started evacuating personnel from all of its diplomatic facilities in Ukraine.

Moscow has an embassy in Kyiv and consulates in Kharkiv, Odesa and Lviv.

The Tass report said the embassy in Kyiv confirmed the evacuations have begun. An Associated Press photographer in Kyiv saw the flag was no longer flying over the embassy building in Kyiv.(AP)