2 hours Ago By Evening Standard
The in the Ukrainian capital has announced it is shutting on Wednesday after receiving “specific information of a potential significant air attack”. In a statement, it said: “Out of an abundance of caution, the Embassy will be closed, and Embassy employees are being instructed to shelter in place. “The US Embassy recommends US citizens be prepared to immediately shelter in the event an air alert is announced.
” The warning comes a day after used US ATACMS missiles to strike Russian territory, taking advantage of newly granted permission from the outgoing administration of US President Joe on the war's 1,000th day. On Tuesday Moscow said six US-made ATACM missiles were fired at ’s Bryansk region, in what would be Kyiv's first use of the weapon inside the country. Earlier on Wednesday, military officials in Kyiv said the country’s air defences were trying to repel an attack on the city.
It comes as US President Joe Biden approved provision of anti-personnel land mines to Ukraine, a step that could help slow Russian advances in its east, especially when used along with other weapons from the United States. The United States expects Ukraine to use the mines in its own territory, though it has committed not to use them in areas populated with its own civilians, a US official said. The Washington Post first reported the development.
The United States has provided Ukraine with anti-tank mines throughout its war with Russia, but the addition of anti-personnel mines aims at blunting the advance of Russian ground troops, the official added, speaking on condition of anonymity. The US mines differ from Russia's as they are "non-persistent," and become inert after a preset period, the official said. They require a battery to detonate, and will not explode once the battery runs out.
Russia had been warning the West for months that if Washington allowed Ukraine to fire US, British and French missiles deep into Russia, Moscow would consider those NATO members to be directly involved in the war in Ukraine. Russian President Vladimir Putin said in October that Moscow would respond to Ukraine's strikes with US-made weapons deep into Russia. Putin lowered the threshold for a nuclear strike on Tuesday in response to a broader range of conventional attacks, with nuclear risks rising amid the highest tensions between Russia and West in more than half a century.
Ukraine: The U.S. Embassy in Kyiv received specific information of a potential significant air attack on Nov 20.
The Embassy will be closed and recommends U.S. citizens be prepared to immediately shelter in the event an air alert is announced.
— Travel - State Dept (@TravelGov).
