Russia Urges Foreign Diplomats To Leave Kyiv If Ukraine Attacks Moscow Victory Day Parade

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov held a phone call with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on May 25, during which Lavrov informed Rubio that Moscow would begin strikes on “decision-making centers” and urged the U.S. to “ensure the evacuation of their diplomatic personnel,” according to a readout from Russia’s Foreign Ministry. The call came after Russia’s Foreign Ministry earlier announced plans for a new wave of mass long-range strikes on Kyiv, including attacks targeting Ukraine’s military infrastructure in the capital and what Moscow described as “decision-making centers.” Russia said the planned strikes were retaliation for a Ukrainian attack in Luhansk Oblast. Moscow claimed a dormitory had been struck, while Ukraine said it had targeted a Russian drone command facility.