Ukrainian air force officials reported Tuesday that Russia launched more than 100 drones and two ballistic missiles targeting Ukraine during overnight attacks, while Moscow issued warnings of intensified strikes on the capital city.
Moscow on Monday advised foreign nationals and diplomatic personnel to quickly evacuate the Ukrainian capital and warned civilians to avoid military and government buildings. Russian officials stated they were preparing “systemic strikes” against Kyiv.
According to a foreign ministry statement, Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov contacted U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio by telephone Monday, urging America to withdraw its diplomatic personnel from Kyiv. While Rubio did not indicate whether the State Department would follow that recommendation, he expressed concerns during his India visit that the “terrible” conflict in Ukraine might intensify.
The Trump administration has spent more than a year attempting to end the hostilities that began following Russia’s February 2022 invasion. However, these diplomatic efforts have produced no major breakthroughs and are currently suspended as Washington concentrates on the Iran war.
No diplomatic missions announced plans to depart from Kyiv. The European Union, French and Polish delegations publicly declared their intention to remain.
Ukraine’s foreign ministry issued a statement late Monday asserting that security threats from Russia against Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities “remains the same as in previous years and months.”
The ministry emphasized that Russia has consistently conducted missile and drone strikes against the capital for over four years, while noting Ukraine stands ready to help diplomatic missions requiring enhanced security measures.
Moscow characterized its largest missile assault of the year last weekend as retaliation for Friday’s fatal Ukrainian drone attack on what Russia described as a college dormitory in Starobilsk, located in Ukraine’s Russia-controlled Luhansk region.
However, the Ukrainian General Staff stated that its Starobilsk strike targeted the regional headquarters of the Russian military’s specialized drone unit.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy observed that advanced American-manufactured air defense systems needed by Ukraine to counter Russian ballistic missiles are scarce because of the Iran war.
“Unfortunately, there has been no progress for a long time with America on expanding the production of anti-ballistic capabilities,” Zelenskyy posted on social media late Monday, noting that Kyiv is collaborating with Europe to develop sufficient anti-ballistic defenses.
He highlighted that Ukrainian military successes in recent months have allowed the country to “stabilize” the 1,250-kilometer (780-mile) front line across eastern and southern Ukraine, indicating Kyiv’s forces are maintaining their position against Russia’s larger military.
According to the Institute for the Study of War, Russia’s spring offensive is struggling as Ukraine’s medium-range drone attacks disrupt Moscow’s rear supply operations.
The Washington-based think tank stated late Monday that Moscow’s threats of major strikes are designed to divert public focus from its “poor battlefield performance” and economic strain from war expenses and international sanctions.
