Russia has issued a severe warning to foreign diplomats stationed in Kyiv, urging them to evacuate immediately in anticipation of a possible “retaliatory strike”. This alert comes as Moscow prepares for its annual World War II Victory Day celebrations, scheduled for 9 May.
The Kremlin sent a formal note to international organizations and diplomatic missions on Wednesday, emphasizing that any interference with the commemorations planned for this weekend could provoke attacks on “decision-making centres” in Kyiv. This escalation coincides with Russia’s unilateral ceasefire declaration for 8 and 9 May, which Moscow insists will be enforced with force if disrupted.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky dismissed the ceasefire as insincere, suggesting that the Kremlin’s primary concern is Ukrainian drones potentially flying over Red Square during the parade.
The warning follows a surge in cross-border violence that persisted through Thursday. Russian officials reported that 13 people were injured in the border city of Bryansk, while Ukrainian authorities confirmed a strike on Dnipro that wounded one individual. Despite Moscow’s ceasefire announcement, Ukrainian officials reported multiple attacks on Wednesday, including a strike on a kindergarten in the Sumy region that resulted in at least four fatalities.
Ukraine had proposed its own ceasefire starting 6 May, but Russian forces ignored the offer. In response to ongoing violations, Zelensky vowed that Ukraine would retaliate accordingly. The continued hostilities underscore the failure of the declared truce to halt the conflict, which has now lasted over four years and caused hundreds of thousands of deaths.
In Moscow, tensions have led to intermittent citywide internet shutdowns, expected to continue until Saturday. Notably, for the first time in nearly two decades, Russian authorities have decided to exclude military hardware from the 9 May Victory Day parade. This move follows recent Ukrainian strikes deep inside Russian territory, including an attack on Cheboksary, located hundreds of kilometers from the border.
The conflict remains deadlocked, with peace negotiations showing little progress. Moscow continues to demand Ukraine’s withdrawal from four regions it claims, a condition Kyiv rejects outright. As the 9 May deadline approaches, concerns grow over the safety of diplomats in Kyiv amid the looming threat of renewed aerial attacks.
