Reports of US embassy leaving Ukraine are false - official
Foreign Ministry spokesman Heorhii Tykhy denied reports that the US embassy had left Kyiv over Russian threats to continue strikes on the Ukrainian capital.
"Reports of the US embassy’s departure do not correspond to reality," Tykhy said in response to journalists’ questions on Thursday.
As reported, Russian Foreign Minister Sergiy Lavrov during a phone call with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio "officially informed" the American side that the Russian army is "proceeding" to carry out systematic strikes on facilities in Kyiv allegedly used for the needs of the Ukrainian Armed Forces.
On May 25, the Russian Foreign Ministry announced its intention to "consistently carry out systematic strikes" on facilities of Ukraine’s defense-industrial complex, including in Kyiv. The statement also mentioned possible strikes on "decision-making centers" and command posts. The Russian Foreign Ministry separately warned foreign nationals and diplomatic missions of the need to leave Kyiv, and urged city residents to avoid military and administrative infrastructure facilities.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said Russian threats of new strikes on Kyiv are aimed at intimidating western diplomats, but Ukraine does not expect the blackmail to work.
