Countries are evacuating staff from their embassies in the Ukrainian capital Kyiv as a Russian invasion appears increasingly imminent.

Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne announced on Sunday that she has instructed embassy staff in Kyiv to suspend operations and evacuate.

The decision follows a deterioration of the situation as Russia builds up troops along its border with Ukraine.

The embassy staff will move to a temporary office set up in Lviv in western Ukraine, near its border with Poland.

The move follows that of the United States, which decided to evacuate almost all staff from its embassy in Kyiv on Saturday.

The UK evacuated some of its staff and their family members on January 24.

Meanwhile, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines announced on Saturday that it will suspend services to Ukraine.

The announcement came after the Dutch government advised its citizens not to travel to the country.