The US has closed its embassy in Kiev, the capital of Ukraine, in fear of Russian airstrikes. The country closed the embassy on Wednesday after receiving 'specific information of possible serious airstrikes'.
By closing the embassy, the US has also advised US citizens in Ukraine to seek refuge in a safe place as soon as possible.
Italy and Greece also closed their embassies in Kyiv after the US warning. The French embassy, however, is still open. But they also asked French citizens to be careful.
On Tuesday, Ukraine launched an attack deep into Russian territory with US-supplied ATACMS missiles. On the 1,000th day of the Ukraine war, this attack was carried out deep in Russia by US missiles. Moscow said that this will start a new phase of war.
Russia has already warned to retaliate with nuclear weapons if such an attack is carried out. Moscow also warned that an attack on Ukraine with US weapons would be considered a direct attack from the US.
Amid this Russian warning, the US embassy in Kiev said on Wednesday that it had received specific information about possible airstrikes.
In a statement on the embassy's website, US State Consular Affairs said, 'The embassy will be closed as a maximum precaution to avoid risk. And the embassy staff are being told to take shelter in the shelter.
The statement added that the U.S. Embassy is recommending that U.S. citizens be prepared to go to shelters as soon as an airstrike alert is announced.
