Russia has warned that it will carry out a “series of systematic strikes” on defence-industrial sites in Kyiv and urged foreign citizens to leave the city immediately. The announcement, issued by the Russian Ministry of Defence and echoed by the Foreign Ministry, framed the planned strikes as retaliation for a Ukrainian drone attack last week that hit a student dormitory in Starobilsk, in the Russian-occupied Luhansk region.
Russian officials say the Starobilsk strike killed at least 18 people and wounded dozens. Moscow described the attack as a grave breach of international humanitarian law and said it showed the “terrorist” character of the Kyiv leadership, accusing Ukrainian forces of deliberately striking civilian targets. Ukraine’s military has denied responsibility for the dormitory strike, saying its operation targeted an elite drone command unit.
The Russian Foreign Ministry said the planned retaliatory campaign will focus on “specific sites where UAVs are designed, manufactured, programmed and prepared for use,” and warned that such facilities are dispersed across Kyiv. The statement explicitly advised foreign citizens, including staff of diplomatic missions and international organisations, to leave the capital as soon as possible and urged residents to stay away from military and administrative infrastructure.
Ukrainian officials rejected Moscow’s call for mass departures. Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha urged international partners not to yield to what he called Russian “blackmail.” More than 70 foreign diplomats visited a heavily damaged Kyiv neighbourhood to pay respects to victims of recent strikes. French Ambassador Gael Veyssiere said civilians returning to work and daily routines was an important demonstration of resilience and deserved international support.
Since the Starobilsk incident, Russia has launched heavy missile and drone attacks on Kyiv and surrounding areas, Ukrainian authorities said. Overnight strikes have been reported to have killed at least four people and injured more than 60. Russia confirmed it used an Oreshnik hypersonic ballistic missile in recent operations — the third known use of that nuclear-capable weapon since the invasion began four years ago.
Ukrainian officials also reported fatalities from strikes in the eastern Kharkiv and Donetsk regions. Moscow maintains that its actions are a response to growing Ukrainian drone capability, which Kyiv has increasingly deployed against Russian targets and energy infrastructure.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has defended Ukrainian strikes on Russian oil facilities and military production sites as justified after Russian attacks on Ukrainian cities, including a previous Russian strike that flattened an apartment block in Kyiv and killed at least 24 people.
The escalation heightens concerns for civilians and diplomatic staff in Kyiv, where authorities and foreign missions must weigh how to respond to Moscow’s warning. Both sides continue to exchange accusations while military operations and strikes persist across multiple frontlines.