The United States has announced the closure of its embassy in the capital of Ukraine, Kiev. A statement on Wednesday (November 20) said the decision was made based on specific information about possible major airstrikes in Kiev. At the same time, US citizens in Ukraine have been asked to prepare for immediate evacuation. British news agency Reuters reported this news.
The warning came as Ukraine launched an attack on Russian territory using US-supplied ATACMS missiles. It was conducted under special permission granted by the Biden administration on the 1,000th day of the war.
The U.S. State Department said in a statement that the embassy in Kiev will be closed as an additional precaution, and embassy staff have been ordered to shelter in place.
The embassy's website also says, if an air raid warning is issued, be prepared to take shelter quickly.
The U.S. Embassy has advised citizens in Ukraine to stock up on essential supplies including clean water, food, and essential medicines.
The embassy said continued Russian attacks could cause power outages, heating shortages and disruptions to municipal services across Ukraine.
Andriy Kovalenko, head of Ukraine's Security Council's Center for Countering Disinformation, said Russia was preparing more airstrikes. They have been stockpiling missiles for a long time for multiple attacks.
For months, Moscow has warned the West that allowing Ukraine to strike deep into Russia with US, British or French missiles would treat those countries as directly involved in a war.
Last October, Russian President Vladimir Putin said Moscow was working on ways to respond to Ukrainian attacks with US-sanctioned weapons. On Tuesday, Putin announced further reductions in limits on strategic nuclear strikes. This has increased the risk of nuclear attack. Experts say tensions between Russia and the West are at their most intense in more than half a century.
