Russia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs called on foreigners, including diplomats, to leave Kyiv amid warnings of forthcoming strikes aimed at decision-making centers, command posts, and drone manufacturing facilities in the Ukrainian capital [1].
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov informed US Secretary of State Marco Rubio of the planned attacks and urged the evacuation of embassy personnel from Kyiv [1]. The strikes come after a Ukrainian drone attack on a student dormitory in Russian-occupied Luhansk that killed at least 18 people, which Russia cited as the reason for its own planned strikes [1].
On Saturday night, May 23, Russian drone and rocket strikes on Kyiv killed at least four people and injured around 100 others, underscoring the threat level in the city [1]. The Russian government’s latest warnings followed this deadly assault and indicated further operations against Ukrainian infrastructure.
Meanwhile, Japanese senior officials from the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs met with Russian government representatives in Moscow on May 27. They discussed measures to protect the assets of Japanese companies operating in Russia amidst the ongoing conflict [2].
Ukraine launched a large drone barrage on May 17 that caused multiple casualties, which Russian officials described as one of the largest drone attacks of the war [1]. This has contributed to escalating military actions, including Russia's recent strikes on Kyiv.
The immediate next step involves monitoring whether Russia will carry out the warned strikes against Kyiv’s key facilities, and how diplomatic missions will respond to evacuation appeals.
