UNITED NATIONS, United States (AFP) — Almost 50 countries condemned what they said were threats by Russia against embassies in Ukraine in a joint statement at the United Nations (UN) on Tuesday.
Russia called on Washington to evacuate its Kyiv embassy on Monday, threatening “systematic strikes” on the Ukrainian capital amid similar warnings to other diplomatic missions.
“We also condemn recent threats by Russia to diplomatic institutions and embassies in Kyiv. This is something which we cannot accept,” said the joint statement delivered by Ukrainian UN representative Andriy Melnyk.
The statement was signed by European countries, Japan, South Korea and others. The United States was not among the signatories.
The US Embassy in Kyiv remains open, it said on Thursday.
“There are no changes to our operations and reports otherwise are false,” the embassy added in a post on X.
Several EU states have summoned their Russian ambassadors over Moscow’s threat.
A weekend barrage by Russia — involving dozens of drones and missiles — killed four people and caused widespread damage across the Ukrainian capital.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said, “I am deeply concerned by a recent announcement by the Russian Federation to launch consistent and systematic strikes against Ukrainian defense enterprises in Kyiv, as well as against decision making centers and command posts following reports of an Ukrainian drone attack on a college building and dormitory in the Ukrainian city of Starobilsk, presently occupied by the Russian Federation.”
