Russia threatens Kyiv strikes, urges foreigners to flee
SkimNews Take
The threat of systematic strikes on Kyiv, coupled with the explicit warning for foreigners to evacuate, suggests a shift towards targeting the international presence within the capital.
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- Russia launched a weekend barrage of drones and missiles on Kyiv, killing four civilians, wounding dozens, and deploying its Oreshnik hypersonic missile capable of carrying nuclear warheads.
- Russia's Foreign Ministry announced systematic strikes will target Kyiv's decision‑making centres and command posts, and ordered all foreign citizens, diplomats and international staff to leave the city immediately.
- Russia said the attacks are retaliation for Kyiv's alleged strike on a vocational school in Russian‑occupied Lugansk that killed 21 people, a response directed by President Vladimir Putin.
- Russia's threat was labeled "rhetoric" by Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiga, who urged partners not to succumb to Russian blackmail.
Why it matters: Foreign diplomats and aid workers in Kyiv must scramble to evacuate, disrupting embassy operations and humanitarian logistics while raising security costs for Ukraine and threatening foreign investment.
