Russia has issued a fresh warning to diplomats and foreign nationals in Kyiv to leave the Ukrainian capital, saying its armed forces will continue to carry out “massive” strikes.
The Russian Foreign Ministry issued the warning on Saturday, October 3, 2026, amid intensified Russian drone and missile attacks on Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities.
The ministry said it had previously urged foreign nationals and diplomats in Kyiv to leave the city and refrain from travelling to Ukraine, but noted that some had not followed the warning.
It said those who remained in Kyiv were knowingly exposing themselves to what it described as “mortal danger.”
“The Armed Forces of the Russian Federation will continue to deliver massive retaliatory strikes,” the ministry warned, adding that responsibility for any potential negative consequences would rest with those who ignored the warning.
Russia said its strikes were targeted at military facilities in Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities, describing them as retaliation for what it called attacks by Ukrainian forces on Russian civilians and infrastructure. Ukraine disputes Russia’s characterisation of the strikes.
The warning came as Russian attacks intensified around key infrastructure in Kyiv. A strike on the Northern Bridge on Saturday damaged the road surface and trolleybus wires and disrupted traffic, following attacks on the Southern Bridge.
Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko had earlier said the capital should be on a war footing as attacks on bridges and energy infrastructure intensified.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has accused Russia of escalating attacks on civilian areas, while the Kremlin has rejected accusations that it deliberately targets civilians.
