Russia launched more than 100 drones and two ballistic missiles toward Ukraine overnight, according to the Ukrainian Air Force on Tuesday, while Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry said Moscow’s latest threats of intensified strikes on Kyiv did not introduce anything new.
Russia had earlier urged foreign citizens, including members of diplomatic missions, to leave the Ukrainian capital as soon as possible and warned residents to avoid military and government facilities, claiming that “systemic strikes” on Kyiv were being prepared.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov reportedly told U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio in a phone call that the United States should evacuate its diplomatic staff from Kyiv. Rubio did not confirm any such move but expressed concern during a visit to India that the war in Ukraine could escalate further.
Despite the warnings, no diplomatic missions have announced any evacuation from Kyiv. The European Union, France, and Poland have publicly stated they will remain in the city.
The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry said the level of threats to Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities “remains the same as in recent years and months,” noting that Russia has repeatedly carried out missile and drone strikes on the capital for more than four years.
It added that Ukraine is ready to assist diplomatic missions seeking additional security measures.
Russia said its latest large-scale missile strike was a response to a Ukrainian drone attack targeting a military site in occupied Luhansk. However, Ukraine’s General Staff stated that its strike hit a Russian special drone unit headquarters.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Ukraine still lacks advanced U.S.-made air defense systems needed to counter Russian ballistic missiles, partly due to competing global military demands.
He added that Ukraine has stabilized parts of its 1,250-kilometer frontline, suggesting resistance against Russia’s larger military forces.
The Institute for the Study of War said Russia’s spring offensive is faltering, while Ukrainian drone strikes are disrupting Russian supply lines. The group also suggested Moscow’s warnings of major strikes may be intended to distract from battlefield setbacks and economic pressure caused by sanctions and war costs.
