Russia’s MFA urges Ukrainians to leave Kyiv, citing security risks

Russia’s Foreign Ministry has called on Ukrainian citizens to take the recommendations by the Russian Defence Ministry seriously to leave Kyiv promptly.

The ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said the recommendation was issued in the context of a possible strike in response to Ukrainian actions aimed at disrupting Victory Day celebrations, Caliber.Az reports, citing Russian media.

“We urge Ukrainian citizens and the foreign diplomatic corps to take the Defence Ministry’s recommendation to leave Kyiv promptly with full seriousness,” she said at a briefing.

On Wednesday, the Russian Foreign Ministry also sent a note to foreign states calling on them to evacuate their diplomats from Kyiv.

The Russian Defence Ministry has announced a ceasefire with Ukraine on May 8–9 to mark Victory Day.

Russian authorities warned that in the event of Ukrainian Armed Forces attacks during the Victory Day parade on Red Square, military forces would carry out a “massive retaliatory missile strike on the centre of Kyiv.”

In response, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced a ceasefire regime on the front line from midnight May 5 to midnight May 6.

By Bakhtiyar Abbasov