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Russia is telling diplomats and foreign residents to leave Ukraine’s capital, saying it plans to launch strikes on military facilities and defense industries in Kyiv.
The evacuation order comes days after Moscow launched drone and missile attacks that killed at least four people and wounded dozens more in the area. The Kremlin said the strikes were in response to attacks on targets inside Russia-occupied Ukraine.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Tuesday that he spoke with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov about the upcoming attacks on Kyiv.
“Kyiv’s been a very dangerous place now for a number of years,” Mr. Rubio told reporters during his trip to India. “The danger in all of these wars, as they continue and then they go on, is that they always have the threat of escalation, of spreading into something new.”
On Tuesday, Moscow fired two Iskander-M ballistic missiles and more than 100 strike drones at Kyiv from the Rostov region of Russia and from within occupied Crimea.
Russia said the strikes will target “decision-making centers and command posts” along with facilities where Ukraine designs and manufactures drones.
“These [unmanned aerial vehicles] are used by the Kyiv regime with the assistance of NATO specialists responsible for supplying components, providing intelligence and targeting,” the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
Ukraine called the Russian warning to foreign diplomats “nothing short of shameless blackmail.”
“Moscow is effectively admitting that its attacks are aimed, among other things, at intimidating the foreign diplomatic corps,” Ukrainian Foreign Ministry officials said in a statement. “This admission will serve as valuable evidence in international legal proceedings against the aggressor state.”
No major diplomatic missions in Ukraine have announced plans to evacuate their staff in light of the Russian threats against Kyiv. The European Union also intends to remain at its post in Kyiv, despite the attacks, said EU spokeswoman Anitta Hipper.
“Russian threats to foreign citizens and diplomats to leave Kyiv is an unacceptable escalation,” Ms. Hipper said Tuesday.
Mr. Rubio said one of the most critical dangers is the conflict in Ukraine spiraling out of control and across the border into other countries in Europe.
“Every time you see these big strikes from one side or the other, it’s a reminder of why this is a terrible war that’s now gone on longer than the second World War,” he said. “It needs to come to an end, and the U.S. stands ready and prepared to help do whatever we can to facilitate the end of this war.”
Russia said its attacks against Kyiv have been in response to a Ukrainian drone strike last week on a college dorm in Starobilsk, Ukraine — a city under Russian control. On Tuesday, U.N. Secretary General Antonio Guterres said he was “deeply concerned” that Moscow intends to fire additional missiles and drones at Kyiv.
“On Friday, we condemned the attack on the school, as we condemn all attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure, wherever they occur,” Mr. Guterres said. “It is imperative to avoid any escalation of a conflict that has already exacted a devastating toll on civilians. That risks making the search for peace even more distant, prolonging the suffering of people.”
Russia has been continuously firing missiles and drones against Kyiv and other Ukrainian communities for more than four years, Ukrainian officials said.
“The overall level of security threats posed by Russia to Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities remains the same as in previous years and months,” foreign ministry officials said. “The best response to the Kremlin’s threats remains increasing pressure on the aggressor and boosting support for Ukraine, particularly by strengthening our defense capabilities.”
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said increasing the country’s air defense capabilities is his priority. He discussed a shortage of missiles with French President Emmanuel Macron and other European leaders.
“Unfortunately, there has been no progress for a long time with America on expanding the production of anti-ballistic capabilities,” Mr. Zelenskyy said Tuesday on his Telegram page. “We are trying to accelerate work in Europe on producing our own anti-ballistic capabilities on the continent in sufficient quantities.”
Mr. Zelenskyy said his government will continue to “engage” with the Trump administration over its ability to support Ukraine in its fight against Russian invaders.
“Europe is helping us financially, but the leadership of the United States is also very much needed,” he said.
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