The Russian Foreign Ministry has renewed its warning to foreign citizens and diplomatic missions to avoid traveling to or staying in Ukraine, particularly in the capital city of Kyiv. The ministry stated that continuing to stay in Ukraine poses a significant risk to their lives. This warning comes as Russian forces have intensified their attacks on Ukraine's infrastructure, targeting key bridges and energy facilities.
The Russian ministry emphasized that they had previously urged foreign citizens and diplomats in Kyiv to leave the city and avoid traveling to Ukraine. They also advised against approaching military installations and administrative infrastructure. The ministry stated that Russian forces will continue to carry out large-scale retaliatory strikes, warning that those who ignore their warnings will be putting their lives at risk.
The warning applies to all foreign citizens and diplomatic mission employees currently in or planning to travel to Ukraine. This development comes amid an escalation of attacks between Moscow and Kyiv, with Russian forces targeting vital infrastructure in the Ukrainian capital and Ukrainian forces launching drone attacks on Russian oil and energy facilities.
Recently, Russian attacks have focused on Kyiv's bridge network, with the northern bridge in Kyiv sustaining damage from a Russian strike, causing disruptions to traffic. Local authorities reported that emergency services responded to the incident, and there were no reports of casualties. This attack follows previous strikes on the southern bridge in Kyiv, which have forced the closure of several bridges over the Dnieper River.
The bridges connecting the two banks of the Dnieper River are crucial for Kyiv's transportation network, with over a third of the city's residents living on the eastern bank and many commuting to the western bank for work. Recent attacks have caused significant disruptions to traffic and raised concerns about potential further targeting of energy infrastructure as winter approaches.
Ukrainian and international reports indicate that recent strikes have caused widespread traffic disruptions in Kyiv, with concerns growing about the possibility of more extensive energy infrastructure targeting in the coming months. Ukrainian forces have also continued to launch drone attacks on Russian energy facilities, including oil refineries and power plants.
The escalation in attacks coincides with Ukraine's preparations for winter, amid fears that Russian strikes could severely impact the country's electricity and heating networks. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha stated that his country needs at least 300 intercepting missiles for the Patriot systems during the winter, citing estimates that Russia can produce 120-140 ballistic missiles per month.
Key points
- Russia warns foreign diplomats and citizens to leave Ukraine due to increased risk to their lives
- Russian forces intensify attacks on Ukraine's infrastructure, targeting bridges and energy facilities
- Ukraine prepares for winter amid concerns about potential Russian strikes on energy infrastructure
