Russia has warned that it could launch another major wave of strikes on Kyiv, days after carrying out one of the heaviest attacks on the Ukrainian capital since the war began.
In a statement, Russia’s foreign ministry said future attacks would target what it described as “decision-making centres,” military command facilities and drone production sites inside Kyiv. Moscow also advised foreign diplomats and citizens to leave the city as soon as possible and avoid government and military-related areas.
The warning comes after a large-scale Russian missile and drone assault over the weekend that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said killed four people and injured around 100 others across Kyiv and nearby regions.
Russia claims the latest escalation is retaliation for what it says was a Ukrainian strike on a student dormitory in the town of Starobilsk in Russian-occupied eastern Ukraine. Russian officials said 21 people were killed in that attack.
Ukraine denied targeting civilians, saying its military operation was aimed at an elite Russian drone unit operating in the area.
The conflict has intensified again after a short ceasefire linked to Russia’s annual Victory Day celebrations ended earlier this month. Since then, both sides have increased long-range missile and drone attacks.
Earlier this month, Russian strikes on Kyiv killed 24 people, including children, after residential buildings were hit. In response, Ukraine launched large drone attacks on the Moscow region, which Russian officials said killed three people. Zelenskyy described those strikes as a justified response to Russian bombardments.
Kyiv later faced one of the largest aerial attacks of the war. Explosions were reported across the city overnight as Russia launched dozens of ballistic and cruise missiles along with hundreds of drones.
According to Ukrainian officials, Russia also used a hypersonic Oreshnik missile near the city of Bila Tserkva, located south of Kyiv.
Several civilian sites were reportedly damaged during the attacks, including the Chernobyl Museum and the National Art Museum of Ukraine. Residential buildings, shopping areas and markets were also hit in different districts of the capital.
Analysts say Russia’s call for foreign nationals to leave Kyiv may be intended to increase psychological pressure on Ukraine and its allies. However, Ukraine has significantly strengthened its air defense systems since the war began in 2022 and continues to intercept many incoming missiles and drones.
Despite those improvements, Ukraine still relies heavily on Western air defense support. Earlier this year, Zelenskyy warned that supplies could become strained because of growing global conflicts and rising demand for advanced defense systems.
