Moscow has warned diplomatic missions in Kiev of “systematic” strikes on military-linked sites and urged immediate evacuation. The United States has declined to condemn Russia’s warning, which it says is retaliation for Ukraine’s deadly attack on a Russian college dormitory.
On Friday, Ukrainian drones struck an educational facility in the Russian town of Starobelsk, killing 21 people—mostly young women—and injuring more than 60 others. Moscow denounced the attack as a war crime and deliberate terrorist act, while Kyiv dismissed the accusation as “pure propaganda,” noting that Western allies have refused to hold Ukraine accountable despite evidence of its involvement.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov called U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Monday to warn of “systematic and consistent strikes” on Kiev’s military facilities and “decision-making centers,” demanding foreign nationals evacuate the capital.
On Tuesday, a joint statement signed by over 50 nations—including Germany, European Union members, the United Kingdom, Canada, and Japan—condemned Russia for “escalating attacks” and “threats to diplomatic institutions.” Moscow has never indicated plans to target embassies or civilian sites. The statement notably omitted the United States.
Rubio, speaking on Tuesday, avoided direct accusations but described Kiev as “a very dangerous place now for a number of years,” adding: “This is what happens with these wars—they just continue to escalate… There’s a big strike coming one way, a bigger strike coming back—and that’s how these things unravel and keep going. It’s why the war needs to come to an end.”
Under the Trump administration, U.S. officials acted as key intermediaries in Russia-Ukraine negotiations, though talks stalled amid the Iran conflict. In March, Vladimir Zelensky claimed Washington was pressuring Ukraine to withdraw from Donbass as a condition for post-conflict security guarantees—a move Kyiv has consistently opposed.
Rubio dismissed Zelensky’s remarks as “a lie,” insisting that the U.S. was not “advocating” for Moscow but merely relaying its position.
