Overview
- On May 25 the Russian Foreign Ministry said the Russian armed forces would begin “sequential systemic strikes” on Kyiv and issued warnings to all embassies in Ukraine to evacuate their staff.
- U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov phoned him Monday to ask that Rubio pass a message to President Trump about the planned strikes, and Rubio did not disclose any U.S. presidential response.
- European Union envoys and several national missions have publicly refused to leave Kyiv, and Ukraine’s foreign ministry called Moscow’s warnings blackmail while thanking diplomats who remain in the capital.
- A heavy strike hit Kyiv in the night before May 24, but no new strikes on Kyiv were reported during the night of May 26, underscoring a pattern of episodic attacks and public warnings rather than constant bombardment.
- Moscow cited unspecified “agreements in Anchorage” as part of its justification without providing details, a vague claim that increases diplomatic tensions and could complicate UN and Western responses to further threats or attacks.