On Wednesday, the U.S. closed its embassy in Kyiv due to a potential airstrike threat, advising American citizens in Ukraine to be ready to take shelter.
Italy and Greece followed suit, while France remained open but cautioned its citizens. This action followed Ukraine’s use of U.S.-supplied ATACMS missiles to strike a Russian arms depot, escalating tensions as Russia warned of retaliation against NATO countries supporting Ukraine’s missile strikes.
The U.S. embassy cited “abundance of caution” in its closure and urged staff to shelter in place. Meanwhile, Ukraine’s military confirmed it hit a Russian command post in Belgorod, fueling concerns over further missile strikes. The conflict remains tense, with Russian forces occupying much of Ukraine and uncertainty about the future of Western aid, especially with Donald Trump’s return to power.
Russia’s missile and drone strikes on Ukraine’s power grid killed seven people and worsened energy disruptions, prompting U.S. warnings for citizens to stockpile supplies. Meanwhile, Putin lowered the nuclear strike threshold, though the U.S. did not alter its nuclear stance. Ukraine’s security officials warned of Russia stockpiling missiles for more attacks, with Kyiv facing additional drone strikes and reporting the downing of 56 drones.
