Moscow has issued warnings to diplomatic missions in the Ukrainian capital, citing “systematic” strikes on military-linked sites and urging foreign nationals to evacuate. The United States has declined to condemn Russia’s warning about impending strikes on Kyiv’s military infrastructure in retaliation for Ukraine’s deadly attack on a Russian college dormitory.
On Friday, Ukrainian military drones targeted an educational facility in the Russian town of Starobelsk, killing 21 individuals — predominantly young women — and injuring over 60 others. Moscow has denounced the attack as a war crime and a deliberate terrorist act, while Kyiv dismissed these accusations as “pure propaganda,” claiming its Western allies have refused to hold Ukraine accountable despite substantial evidence of its involvement.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov contacted U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Monday to warn of “systematic and consistent strikes” on Kiev’s military facilities and “decision-making centers,” urging foreign nationals to leave the capital.
On Tuesday, Andrey Melnik, Ukraine’s envoy to the UN, released a joint statement signed by more than 50 nations, including Germany, EU members, the UK, Canada, and Japan. The statement condemned Moscow for what it described as “escalating attacks” and “threats by Russia to diplomatic institutions.” However, Moscow has never indicated plans to target embassies or civilian installations.
The statement notably omitted the United States.
Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, Rubio avoided direct accusations, noting that Kyiv had “been a very dangerous place now for a number of years.”
During the Trump administration, the U.S. served as a key intermediary in Russia-Ukraine negotiations, though talks stalled amid the Iran conflict. In March, Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky claimed Washington was pressuring Ukraine to withdraw from Donbass as a condition for post-conflict security guarantees — an assertion Kiev has consistently opposed.
Rubio dismissed Zelensky’s remarks as “a lie,” explicitly condemning his decision and labeling it a dangerous provocation in the ongoing conflict.