US shuts Kyiv embassy over fears of ‘significant air attack’
The US embassy in Kyiv was shut down on Wednesday morning after receiving information of a potential significant air attack, US officials said.
“Out of an abundance of caution, the embassy will be closed, and embassy employees are being instructed to shelter in place,” the US Department of State Consular Affairs said in a statement published on the website of the US embassy in Kyiv.
“The US embassy recommends US citizens be prepared to immediately shelter in the event an air alert is announced,” the statement said.
The warning comes a day after Ukraine used long-range missiles to strike Russian territory, taking advantage of newly granted permission from the outgoing administration of president Joe Biden on the war’s 1,000th day.
American citizens in Ukraine have been asked to monitor local media for updates, identify shelter locations in advance for tracking air alerts, immediately go to a nearby shelter if an air alert is announced, and follow directions given by Ukrainian officials and first responders in the event of an emergency.