American embassy closed in the face of a “possible air attack” from Russia

The American embassy in kyiv is closed, Washington fearing a “possible Russian air attack” on the capital.

The United States Embassy in kyiv warned of a “possible significant air attack” on Wednesday, November 20, 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,” it said on its website on Wednesday.

“As a precautionary measure, the embassy will be closed and embassy employees are invited to shelter in place,” specifies the text of the American representation which recommends to its nationals “to prepare to shelter immediately in the event of an air alert announced.

“Appropriate” response

The head of Russian diplomacy, Sergei Lavrov, promised Tuesday an “appropriate” response to the Ukrainian firing of American ATACMS missiles against Russia, denouncing the involvement of the United States in these strikes and seeing a “new phase” in the conflict.

“We will view this as a new phase in the Western war against Russia and we will react accordingly,” he told reporters 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.