Kyiv’s mayor, Vitali Klitschko, said on Friday that the city should be on a war footing, describing an enemy that was “tearing Kyiv apart” through strikes on bridges and energy infrastructure.
The warning reflects the mounting pressure on the Ukrainian capital. Russia has waged its military offensive against Ukraine since its February 2022 invasion, and has frequently targeted Kyiv with overnight drone attacks in the years since. In recent weeks, Moscow has stepped up drone and missile barrages against the city, with key infrastructure among the targets.
Before Saturday, Russia’s foreign ministry had urged foreign nationals and diplomats in Kyiv to leave the city and refrain from travelling to Ukraine.
On Saturday, the ministry repeated that call, telling diplomats and other foreigners to leave Kyiv and warning of new “massive” strikes. It said that “not everyone has heeded these warnings, and that individuals are knowingly exposing themselves to mortal danger.”
The ministry said the Russian armed forces would “continue to deliver massive retaliatory strikes.” It added that “responsibility for any potential negative consequences rests entirely with those who ignore this warning.”
Hours of intensified pressure have already reached one of Kyiv’s crossings. A Russian attack struck the Nord Bridge over the Dnipro river on Saturday, injuring two people.
President Volodymyr Zelensky has accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of ripping up the rules of armed conflict by sanctioning massive attacks on civilian areas. The Kremlin rejected Zelensky’s accusation that Russia is sanctioning such attacks.
Russia’s warning did not identify the targets of the threatened strikes. It remains unclear whether foreign embassies will withdraw diplomats or retain their presence in Kyiv.
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