The U.S. State Department announced that the US Embassy in Kyiv would resume normal operations on Thursday after its temporary closure due to ongoing threats of air attacks.
US Ambassador to Ukraine Bridget Brink posted on X:
.@USEmbassyKyiv has resumed services following a temporary shelter-in-place suspension earlier today. We continue to encourage U.S. citizens to remain vigilant, monitor official Ukrainian sources for updates, and be prepared to shelter in place if an air alert is announced.…
— Ambassador Bridget A. Brink (@USAmbKyiv) November 20, 2024
The initial statement issued by the Ukraine Embassy cited “an abundance of caution,” advising embassy staff to shelter in place and urging US citizens to be ready to do the same in case of air alerts.
Besides the US Embassy in Kyiv, the Italian and Greek embassies in Ukraine’s capital also halted operations on Wednesday, while the French embassy remained open but issued warnings for heightened caution.
According to Reuters, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy denounced panic-inducing messages as aiding Russia but urged citizens to heed air raid warnings.
The GUR military intelligence agency warned of fake messages spreading false claims of imminent large-scale attacks, labeling it part of a Russian psychological operation. Soldiers reported receiving alarming messages via personal contacts, though the origin of these messages remains unclear.
