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Russia pledges to continue massive strikes on Kyiv, urges foreign diplomats to leave city
On Saturday, the Russian Foreign Ministry announced it will continue targeted strikes on Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities, urging foreign nationals and diplomatic staff to leave the capital immediately.
Russia has recently escalated attacks on infrastructure in the capital, hitting a bridge across the Dnipro river on Friday as part of an intensifying campaign against Ukrainian targets.
The Russian Ministry stated strikes target military facilities "in response to the Ukrainian Armed Forces' terrorist acts," claiming "responsibility for any adverse consequences lies entirely with those who ignore this warning."
Life for Kyiv's 3 million residents has been upended by the intensifying campaign, creating severe uncertainty ahead of the bitter winter months.
Both Russia and Ukraine have escalated attacks on grain vessels in the Black Sea and oil refineries in recent months, while Russian President Vladimir Putin claims Ukraine pays for its own attacks on Russia.
The departure of the European diplomats from Kiev now would not be an official communiqué anymore. It would be a moral blow with the booming Russian bombing campaign. Symbolic is becoming more and more relevant when the reaction drones and Russian missiles are directed daily against the metropolis. Ukraine, the European Union and Russia understand it. The cascade of headlines before a possible transfer of diplomatic delegations would only increa…