MOSCOW (AP) - With the U.S. military closing in on Baghdad, Russia's ambassador to Iraq is leaving the country, the Foreign Ministry said Saturday.
Russian officials had long ago evacuated most of the embassy's staff, but a core team remained, including the ambassador.
"In order to provide security to the embassy's personnel, its staff has been reduced to the minimal necessary number of employees," Foreign Ministry spokesman Alexander Yakovenko said in a statement.
He said the Russian ambassador was among those who were leaving the country.
No further details were provided, and it was not immediately clear how or when exactly the ambassador intended to leave.
On Wednesday, Russia protested against American airstrikes that allegedly targeted a Baghdad neighborhood where the Russian Embassy was located. Russia did not report any casualties in connection with the strikes.
Russia, a vocal opponent of the war, has softened its view in recent days, a move that some analysts say reflects Russia's hope of winning a role in Iraq's postwar reconstruction, as well as preserving its existing economic ties with the United States.