Russia-Ukraine war: US embassy in Kyiv shuts down amid looming airstrike threat

The US Embassy in Kyiv on Wednesday (Nov 20) announced its closure, citing intelligence about a significant and imminent airstrike. In a statement, the embassy instructed staff to shelter in place and urged US citizens to prepare for immediate action if air raid alarms sound.

"The U.S. Embassy in Kyiv has received specific information of a potential significant air attack on November 20," said the USEmbassy in Kyiv on its website.

"Out of an abundance of caution, the embassy will be closed, and embassy employees are being instructed to shelter in place."

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"The US Embassy recommends US citizens be prepared to immediately shelter in the event an air alert is announced," it added.

This warning comes after Ukraine deployed US-supplied ATACMS missiles, targeting Russian territory. In an announcement that coincided withthe 1000th day of the Ukraine war,Washington this week said it had cleared a long-standing Ukrainian request — for Ukraine to use ATACMS against military targets inside Russia.

Russia warns it will respond

After Ukraine fired longer-range US missiles — a first in the nearly three-year war—Russia on Tuesday (Nov 19) had warnedthat it would respond.

Speaking at apress conference at the G20 summit in Brazil,Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov stated that Ukraine's strike on Russia's Bryansk region, which used ATACMS missiles (a reference to the US-supplied Army Tactical Missile System)showed Western countries wanted to "escalate" the conflict.

"We will be taking this as a qualitatively new phase of the Western war against Russia. And we will react accordingly," warned Lavrov.

Washington this week said it had cleared Ukraine to use ATACMS against military targets inside Russia -- a long-standing Ukrainian request.

(With inputs from agencies)