On Saturday, Russia called on diplomats and foreign nationals in Kyiv to evacuate the city, warning that its forces would persist in launching “massive retaliatory strikes” against the Ukrainian capital, according to reports.
The Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs reiterated its warning in a statement, urging foreign citizens and diplomats in Kyiv to leave the area. It emphasized that “responsibility for any negative consequences rests entirely with those who disregard this warning.” The ministry added that the “Russian armed forces will continue to carry out massive retaliatory strikes” against military targets in Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities.
In recent weeks, Kyiv has been specifically targeted, with Russian strikes predominantly hitting bridges, causing significant traffic congestion. Just a day prior, Kyiv’s Mayor, Vitali Klitschko, described the city as being in a “very dramatic situation” due to the Russian attacks impacting “critical infrastructure, logistics, housing,” and other essential objectives.
On Thursday and Friday, the South Bridge, a crucial connection in Kyiv, was struck by Russian drones, leading to its closure for traffic and massive jams in the city divided by the Dnieper River. The bridge was targeted again on Saturday.
This latest warning follows a similar one issued at the beginning of September, with the first alert coming just before May 9, when the Russian Foreign Ministry warned of an “inevitable retaliatory strike” if Kyiv were to attack Moscow during the military parade marking the 81st anniversary of the Soviet victory over Nazi Germany.
