(Russia, 26th) Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov called US Secretary of State Rubio, advising the US to evacuate its diplomats and citizens from the Ukrainian capital Kyiv, as Russia plans to continue conducting large-scale strikes against Kyiv.
According to Bloomberg, the Russian Foreign Ministry issued a statement on Monday (May 25), saying that Lavrov, following President Putin's instructions, informed the US that Russia is carrying out systematic and sustained attacks on Kyiv's military facilities and related “decision centers.”
Lavrov said these actions were in response to ongoing Ukrainian attacks on Russian civilians and civilian infrastructure. He drew attention to a statement released by the Russian Foreign Ministry that day, and advised US diplomatic staff and citizens to leave Kyiv.
The announcement also said that Lavrov and Rubio exchanged views on the situations in the Strait of Hormuz and Cuba. In addition, both sides expressed willingness to increase efforts to normalize the work of each other's diplomatic missions.
Earlier the same day, the Kremlin issued a statement urging all foreign citizens, including diplomatic mission staff and representatives of international organizations, to leave Kyiv as soon as possible, and advised residents of the Ukrainian capital to keep away from military and administrative facilities.
Since February 2022, Russia has regularly bombarded Ukrainian cities, including Kyiv. However, on May 24, Ukraine experienced a large-scale Russian drone and missile attack. Russian forces also launched an "Oreshnik" medium-range hypersonic ballistic missile. Moscow characterized this attack as retaliation for a recent Ukrainian drone strike on a university in the Russian-occupied Luhansk region, which killed 21 students.
Ukraine's General Staff said that Ukrainian forces had attacked the Russian drone unit headquarters operating in Starobilsk, and rejected Russian claims that civilian facilities were struck.
Lavrov said these actions were in response to ongoing Ukrainian attacks on Russian civilians and civilian infrastructure. He drew attention to a statement released by the Russian Foreign Ministry that day, and advised US diplomatic staff and citizens to leave Kyiv.
The announcement also said that Lavrov and Rubio exchanged views on the situations in the Strait of Hormuz and Cuba. In addition, both sides expressed willingness to increase efforts to normalize the work of each other's diplomatic missions.
Earlier the same day, the Kremlin issued a statement urging all foreign citizens, including diplomatic mission staff and representatives of international organizations, to leave Kyiv as soon as possible, and advised residents of the Ukrainian capital to keep away from military and administrative facilities.
Since February 2022, Russia has regularly bombarded Ukrainian cities, including Kyiv. However, on May 24, Ukraine experienced a large-scale Russian drone and missile attack. Russian forces also launched an "Oreshnik" medium-range hypersonic ballistic missile. Moscow characterized this attack as retaliation for a recent Ukrainian drone strike on a university in the Russian-occupied Luhansk region, which killed 21 students.
Ukraine's General Staff said that Ukrainian forces had attacked the Russian drone unit headquarters operating in Starobilsk, and rejected Russian claims that civilian facilities were struck.