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The United States has temporarily closed its mission in the Ukrainian capital in the wake of a potential air attack, after the embassy received specific information about the threat, Al Jazeera reported.
The Italian, Spanish, and Greek embassies in Kyiv also announced that they will remain closed to the public today after air raid sirens were activated in the Ukrainian capital several times overnight, CNN reported. This development comes amid escalating tensions in the Russia-Ukraine conflict. Ukraine on Wednesday, marked 1000 days since Russia launched the full-scale invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022. The Greek Embassy in Kyiv told CNN it will be closed on Wednesday for "security reasons." The Spanish Embassy in Kyiv will also be closed today after receiving information about a possible major airstrike on the city, CNN reported citing Spanish outlet EFE. The Italian Embassy announced that it will be closing its doors to the public in Kyiv, Ukraine today due to a potential high-intensity airstrike warning issued by the US Embassy. The Italian Embassy on its official website wrote, "The US Embassy has shared information on its website about a possible high-intensity airstrike today, November 20. As a precaution, the Embassy in Kyiv will be closed to the public today. The Embassy remains operational." Meanwhile, the Times of Israel reported that Israel will not shut down its embassy in Kyiv. Israeli Ambassador to Ukraine Michael Brodsky said, "We are operating as normal currently." Earlier on Tuesday, Russia reported that Ukrainian forces fired six US-produced ATACMS missiles at Russia's Bryansk region, with five being shot down by S-400 and Pantsir AA systems, and one causing a fire after its fragments fell in the technical zone of a military facility. This incident came following the decision of outgoing US President Joe Biden to allow Ukraine to strike deep inside Russia using long-range missiles, a move strongly condemned by Russia as a significant escalation of tensions, and involvement of the United States in the conflict. Sharing a post on X, the Russian Foreign Ministry wrote, "Russia's Defence Ministry: At 3.25 am, Ukrainian forces fired 6 US-produced ATACMS missiles at Russia's Bryansk region." "Five missiles were shot down by S-400 and Pantsir AA systems, one was damaged, its fragments fell in the technical zone of a military facility, causing a fire," the post added. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov during a press breifing also spoke about the Ukrainian attack on Bryansk and said, "ATACAMS are being used against Bryansk Oblast of Russia. [The missiles] cannot be used without American experts & specialists. We will be taking this as a qualitatively new phase of the Western war against Russia & will react accordingly." (ANI)
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