US embassy in kyiv warns of 'possible significant air attack'

The US Embassy in kyiv warned of “possible significant air attack”Wednesday, the day after Russia promised to respond to long-range American missile launches by Ukraine on its territory. The embassy “received specific information regarding a possible significant air attack on November 20”she said Wednesday on her website. “As a precautionary measure, the embassy will be closed and embassy employees are advised to shelter in place”specifies the text of the American representation which recommends to its nationals “to prepare to take shelter immediately in the event of an air alert announced”.

A “new phase”

The head of Russian diplomacy, Sergei Lavrov, promised a response on Tuesday “appropriate” to the Ukrainian firing of American ATACMS missiles against Russia, denouncing the involvement of the United States in these strikes and seeing it as a “new phase” in the conflict. “We will view this as a new phase in the Western war against Russia and respond accordingly”he told journalists in Rio de Janeiro, after the G20.

The Ukrainian army struck the Russian border region of Bryansk with these American ATACMS missiles, a senior Ukrainian official confirmed to AFP on Tuesday after an announcement from Moscow to this effect. Washington on Sunday gave authorization to Ukraine to strike Russian territory with these long-range missiles provided by the United States, thus fulfilling a long-standing request from kyiv.