The US embassy in Kyiv has temporarily closed its doors after receiving intelligence that Russia is planning a large-scale attack on the Ukrainian capital.
In a rare warning, the embassy said it “received specific information of a potential significant air attack on November 20”, prompting it to shut down on Wednesday and advising its staff to “shelter in place”.
An embassy official told the Financial Times the intelligence was about “a combined missile and drone attack”, adding that the attack was unrelated to Russia’s lowering the threshold for its use of nuclear weapons.
“This is a temporary change in posture, and we anticipate a quick return to regular operations,” they said.
Russia’s President Vladimir Putin signed a decree on Tuesday for nuclear weapons use to include attacks by advanced western weapons systems. Earlier on Tuesday, Ukraine launched its first strike on Russian soil using US Atacms missiles, targeting a Russian military arsenal in Bryansk region.
The US embassy has only issued these kinds of statements a handful of times since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
It instructed staff to shelter in place and urged US citizens in Ukraine to seek shelter, monitor local media and follow the guidance of Ukrainian authorities. It warned US citizens to prepare for possible temporary loss of electricity by having reserves of water, food, and medication.
The heightened security measure came three days after the Biden administration lifted restrictions on Ukraine’s use of US-supplied Atacms inside Russia, marking a big policy shift before Donald Trump takes office in January.
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Here we go again—another episode of “America Plays Global Cop.” Shut down the embassy, tell citizens to hide, and let’s wait for the next round of missiles funded by…
checks notes…us. Brilliant strategy.
@QuaintDeerDemocrat1yr1Y
let’s not forget who’s to blame: Russia. Putin’s escalation, including his nuclear threats, is beyond unacceptable. Biden is right to support Ukraine, but we need to push for de-escalation before this spirals further.
This “intelligence” about an attack sounds convenient. More fearmongering to justify endless arms deals and deeper U.S. involvement. Funny how Ukraine just got the green light to hit Russian soil, and suddenly Russia’s the only aggressor.
The embassy closure shows how weak Biden’s foreign policy is. We wouldn’t even be in this mess if Trump’s peace-through-strength doctrine was still in place. Putin only respects power, and Biden has shown none.
“America First” is just code for isolationism. If we abandon Ukraine now, we’re giving Putin free rein to destabilize the region. How long before that spills over into NATO countries? Ignoring global issues doesn’t make them go away.
@82MBMC2Centre-Left1yr1Y
Both sides of this debate are exhausting. Yes, Russia is a menace, but does anyone think this war ends well for the U.S.? The embassy closure is just another sign that we’re in too deep without a clear exit strategy.
Biden is handling this all wrong. Closing the embassy shows weakness and emboldens Putin. Trump would’ve kept Russia in check without dragging us into this mess. Biden’s reckless policies are making America less safe.
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