US Embassy in Kyiv issues shelter alert, closes over airstrike threat

The US Embassy in Kyiv issued a warning on November 20 regarding a “potentially serious Russian air attack,” prompting the embassy to close as a precaution.

In a statement, the embassy urged its staff to take immediate shelter and advised US citizens in Kyiv to be prepared to do the same in case of an air alert, Caliber.Az reports citing foreign media outlets.

“We strongly encourage US citizens to remain vigilant and follow guidance from local authorities,” the statement emphasized.

This warning stood out for its specificity, as noted by US media, given that Russian air attacks have become a frequent occurrence in Ukraine. The advisory followed reports that Ukraine had used US-supplied ATACMS missiles in a strike on a weapons depot in Russia’s Bryansk region. These longer-range missiles were recently authorized for Ukrainian use by President Joe Biden.

Russian President Vladimir Putin previously warned in September that if Western countries provided Ukraine with long-range weapons capable of striking Russian territory, it would be interpreted as direct involvement in the conflict by NATO, including the United States and European nations.

The Greek and Spanish embassies in Kyiv have closed to the public also after air raid sirens were activated in the Ukrainian capital several times overnight.

Explosions were reported in Kyiv and the nearby city of Brovary on November 20 amid ongoing air alerts, according to Ukrainian media. Alerts have been sounding in Kyiv since November 19 evening, as Ukraine's digital transformation ministry’s online alert map indicates.

Earlier in the day, explosions were also reported in the Zhytomyr, Poltava, and Kharkiv regions. Serhiy Popko, head of Kyiv’s city military administration, attributed the sounds of explosions to the activity of Ukrainian air defence systems.

Russia has conducted regular strikes on Ukrainian infrastructure since October 10, 2022, in response to what it claims was a Ukrainian-orchestrated terrorist attack on the Crimean Bridge. These strikes target energy facilities, military administration, defence industry sites, and communication systems. Since then, air alerts have become a daily occurrence across Ukraine, with some alerts covering the entire country.

By Tamilla Hasanova