Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov told Secretary of State Rubio that Moscow will continue systematic strikes on Ukrainian capital facilities.
9:04 PM
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov called U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Monday and warned that Russian Armed Forces are conducting "systematic and consistent strikes against facilities in Kyiv used by the Ukrainian Armed Forces and against the relevant decision-making centers," according to a Kremlin readout.
Lavrov, acting on direction from President Vladimir Putin, advised Rubio that the United States and other countries with diplomatic missions in Kyiv should "ensure the evacuation of their diplomatic personnel and other citizens from the Ukrainian capital," the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement cited by state news agency Tass.
The Russian government characterized the strikes as a response to what it described as "the Kyiv regime's ongoing terrorist attacks against civilians and civilian objects on Russian territory." The warning came after an intensification of Russian attacks on Kyiv on Sunday.
Lavrov told Rubio that the Russian military operations targeting decision-making centers in the Ukrainian capital would continue, according to the statement supplied by the Kremlin. The Russian Foreign Ministry did not specify a timeline for the threatened strikes or provide details about which facilities would be targeted.
President Zelensky says Ukrainian long-range strikes have reached Perm, Chelyabinsk, and Yekaterinburg, targeting Russia's military-industrial complex.
Ukraine and Latvia rejected Moscow's allegations that Ukrainian forces are preparing strikes from Latvian territory, calling them disinformation.
President Zelenskyy announced a unilateral ceasefire starting May 6, saying no official Russian proposal had been received, after Moscow offered a two-day pause for WWII anniversary.
U.S. President Donald Trump said Russia and Ukraine agreed to halt military operations May 9-11, coinciding with Victory Day commemorations, and exchange 1,000 prisoners each.
Russian forces conducted nearly 100 attacks across three days on Ukrainian region, targeting civilian infrastructure and residential areas.
A massive Russian aerial attack on Kyiv overnight killed at least eight people and injured dozens more, with search and rescue operations ongoing.
