Russia issues Kyiv evacuation warning to foreigners, diplomatic missions

Russia has renewed its warning to foreign nationals and diplomatic personnel in Kyiv, urging them to leave the Ukrainian capital as Moscow threatens further “massive” retaliatory strikes.

The Russian Foreign Ministry issued the warning on Saturday, saying foreign nationals and diplomats who remain in Kyiv were exposing themselves to potentially fatal danger.

The ministry said it had previously advised foreigners and diplomatic missions in Kyiv to leave the city and avoid travelling to Ukraine, but noted that some had not followed the warning.

“The Armed Forces of the Russian Federation will continue to deliver massive retaliatory strikes,” the ministry said, according to the statement reported by AFP.

It added that responsibility for any consequences would rest with those who chose to disregard the warning.

The warning comes amid an intensification of Russian drone and missile attacks on Kyiv, with key infrastructure, including bridges and energy facilities, coming under attack in recent days.

On Saturday, Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said the Northern Bridge over the Dnipro River had been damaged during a Russian airstrike. Traffic was suspended after the attack damaged parts of the road surface and trolleybus cables, although no injuries were reported.

The Southern Bridge and other major crossings have also faced disruption following recent attacks, causing significant traffic problems across the Ukrainian capital.

The Russian warning comes as reports of possible contingency plans by some Western diplomatic missions to relocate from Kyiv have circulated.

However, Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry has denied receiving any formal notification from foreign embassies about plans to evacuate or relocate their missions. Ukrainian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Heorhii Tykhyi said no such requests had been received as of Friday evening.

Russia has previously issued similar warnings to diplomats and foreigners in Kyiv amid periods of intensified attacks. The latest statement signals another escalation in the security situation surrounding Ukraine’s capital as Russian strikes continue to target infrastructure across the city.

The warning also comes as Ukrainian authorities contend with growing disruption to transport and other essential services following the recent attacks.