The U.S. Embassy in Ukraine has firmly rejected claims of its evacuation, following statements by European officials regarding heightened threats from Russia. The embassy emphasized that it continues to operate normally and that any contrary reports are false.
In a statement, U.S. diplomats affirmed, “The safety and security of U.S. citizens remain our top priority, and we regularly assess the security situation at our embassy in Kyiv.” They also advised American citizens against traveling to Ukraine due to the ongoing conflict.
“Yesterday, we received information from Ukraine indicating that all embassies remained in place, except for one. This requires courage from those embassies. But yes, all Europeans are staying. America has left,” stated Kaja Kallas, the European Commission President, prior to an informal meeting of EU foreign ministers in Cyprus.
The embassy’s clarification follows remarks from Russian officials, who accused Ukraine of attacking civilian targets after drone strikes were reported in Starobilsk, a city in the Luhansk region. The Russian Foreign Ministry warned of potential escalated attacks on Kyiv and other infrastructure.
According to the Russian Ministry, responsibility for these attacks extends beyond Ukrainian forces to include Western partners, whom they claim supply weapons and intelligence support.
In light of these accusations, the Russian government announced its intention to carry out systematic strikes on Ukraine’s defense industry, particularly in Kyiv. They also mentioned targeting decision-making centers and command posts, advising foreign diplomats to leave the capital.
On May 22, Russian news agency TASS reported a strike on a training facility and dormitory at the Starobilsk Professional College, blaming Ukrainian forces for the attack.
However, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine refuted these claims, asserting that Ukrainian troops had targeted a command post of the “Rubikon” unit in temporarily occupied Starobilsk.
In a separate incident, on May 24, Ukrainian Air Force officials reported that Russian forces launched a massive attack on Ukraine, firing 90 missiles and deploying 600 drones. Ukrainian air defenses successfully intercepted 55 missiles and 549 drones, with Kyiv being the primary focus of the assault, resulting in destruction across several districts and casualties exceeding 90 injuries.
The U.S. Embassy in Ukraine has denied reports of its evacuation amid rising tensions with Russia, asserting its operations continue as usual. This comes after Russian officials accused Ukraine of targeting civilians, leading to threats of intensified attacks on Kyiv and other areas.