Russia asks foreign nationals, diplomats to leave Kyiv as it prepares ‘systematic strikes’

2 min readNew DelhiUpdated: May 25, 2026 11:59 PM IST

Russia has threatened to launch a “series of systematic strikes” against Ukraine, days after carrying out one of the largest attack on the Ukrainian capital since the war between the two nations began in February 2022.

Moscow said it will launch fresh wave of “systematic strikes” on defence industrial facilities in Kyiv and warned foreign nationals, diplomats to leave Kyiv “as soon as possible”, Russia’s foreign ministry said in a statement.

⚡️ Given the continued terrorist attacks by the Kiev regime against Russian civilians, @mod_russia will be targeting Ukrainian defence industry facilities in Kiev.

Foreign nationals, including diplomatic missions & staff, should leave the city ASAP. pic.twitter.com/9Hu0lPauvH

— MFA Russia 🇷🇺 (@mfa_russia) May 25, 2026

Russia’s defence ministry said the strikes are in retaliation to a Ukrainian drone attack last week that hit a student dorm in Starobilsk in the Luhansk region which led to the death of at least 18 people, Al Jazeera reported.

Informing about the development, Russia’s foreign ministry in a social media post stated, “Given the continued terrorist attacks by the Kyiv regime against Russian civilians, Russia will be targeting Ukrainian defence industry facilities in Kyiv. Foreign nationals, including diplomatic missions & staff, should leave the city ASAP.”

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