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Russia warns diplomats, foreigners to leave Kyiv amid ‘massive’ strike threat

Russia warns diplomats, foreigners to leave Kyiv amid ‘massive’ strike threat

Firefighters extinguish a fire at a house following Russian air strikes in Kharkiv, Ukraine, on October 2, 2026. Photograph: (AFP)

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Russia has urged diplomats and foreign nationals to leave Kyiv, warning of further “massive” strikes as Moscow intensifies attacks on Ukraine’s capital and key infrastructure.

Russia has issued a fresh warning to diplomats and foreign nationals in Kyiv, urging them to leave the Ukrainian capital and warning of further “massive” strikes. The Russian Foreign Ministry said on Saturday that it had previously urged foreign nationals and diplomats in Kyiv to leave the city and avoid travelling to Ukraine.

“We note with concern that not everyone has heeded these warnings, and that individuals are knowingly exposing themselves to mortal danger,” the ministry said.

“The Armed Forces of the Russian Federation will continue to deliver massive retaliatory strikes,” it warned.

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The ministry also said that “responsibility for any potential negative consequences rests entirely with those who ignore this warning.”

Kyiv faces intensified strikes

The warning comes as Russia has intensified its drone and missile attacks on Ukraine, including strikes targeting key infrastructure in Kyiv. Recent attacks have disrupted traffic across major bridges in the Ukrainian capital.

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Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said on Friday that the city should now be on a war footing, as Russian strikes were “tearing Kyiv apart” and hitting bridges and energy infrastructure.

Long lines of stationary cars and buses were reported on major roads as commuters searched for alternative routes. Some people were forced to continue their journeys on foot.

Air raid sirens warning of incoming threats have been sounding almost round the clock, prompting Kyiv's estimated three million residents to seek shelter.

Zelensky accuses Putin of attacking civilian areas

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of ripping up the rulebook of armed conflict by sanctioning massive attacks on civilian areas. The Kremlin has rejected the accusation.

The war began with Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 and has since become Europe's bloodiest conflict since World War II.

US President Donald Trump's efforts to broker peace between Russia and Ukraine have so far failed to end the conflict. Meanwhile, the United States has invited Putin to attend the 21st G20 Summit, scheduled for December 14 and 15, 2026.

Russia has yet to confirm whether Putin will attend the summit, which could provide a venue for discussions on finding a path towards ending the four-and-a-half-year war.

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Ajaypal Choudhary

Driven by a deep interest in international politics and geo-economics, Ajaypal Choudhary writes on and analyses a wide range of subjects from geopolitics and the global economy to ...Read More