The State Department announced it has suspended operations at its embassy in Minsk, Belarus, and allowed departures from the U.S. Embassy in Moscow.

“We took these steps due to security and safety issues stemming from the unprovoked and unjustified attack by Russian military forces in Ukraine,” Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a statement.

The Biden administration’s actions mark the latest erosion of diplomatic ties with Vladimir Putin and the Kremlin, which has been condemned by much of the international community and hit with crippling sanctions over its military aggression.