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US embassy in Kyiv shuts down over potential air attack threat
The embassy warned American citizens in the region to be prepared to immediately shelter in case an air alert is sounded.
After receiving information of a possible air attack, the embassy of the United States in Ukraine's Kyiv has been closed for Wednesday, an official statement from Washington said.
The US Department of State Consular Affairs said, "Out of an abundance of caution, the embassy will be closed, and embassy employees are being instructed to shelter in place."
The embassy warned American citizens in the region to be prepared to immediately shelter in case an air alert is sounded.
The warning comes just a day after Ukraine used US-made ATACMS missiles to strike targets deep inside Russia, with the help of newly acquired power from the outgoing Biden administration.
ALSO READ | Ukraine fires US-made long-range missiles into Russia for first time
US President Joe Biden had on Sunday reportedly authorized the use of US-supplied long-range missiles by Ukraine to strike deep Russian targets, aiming to help Kyiv defend itself while also trying to prevent further escalation of the conflict.
Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelenskyy has been pressing the Biden administration for a long time to ease the restrictions on usage of US-made missiles in its war with Russia. He has said that it is a key part of his "Victory Plan" for Ukraine.
After reports of Biden's approval came in, Zelenskyy said that strikes are not carried out with words and neither are such things announced. "Missiles will speak for themselves".
In response, Russian President Vladimir Putin also approved the revisions to Moscow's nuclear doctrine. The new policy expands the scope of when Moscow can use nuclear weapons.
ALSO READ | Putin dares US with bold shift in nuclear policy amid Ukraine conflict
Russia has been warning the US and the West for months over allowing Ukraine to fire Western-made missiles into Russia, saying that it would consider those NATO members to be directly involved in the war in Kyiv.
On these terms, the renewed nuclear doctrine of Russia states that Moscow will consider any aggression from a non-nuclear state, especially one backed by a nuclear power state, as a coordinated attack against Moscow and will retaliate in the same manner.
The newly approved policy by Putin also allows the use of nuclear weapons in retaliation against any significant conventional assault on Russia, including drone attacks.
(with inputs from Reuters)
