Moscow/Washington, 26 May (H.S.): Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has urged the United States to evacuate diplomatic personnel from Kyiv, citing growing security risks in the Ukrainian capital amid the continuing conflict between Russia and Ukraine.

According to a statement issued by Russia’s Foreign Ministry, Lavrov conveyed the recommendation during a telephone conversation with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Monday.

The ministry stated that Lavrov referred to an earlier Russian advisory recommending that foreign governments with diplomatic missions in Kyiv take immediate measures to ensure the safety and evacuation of embassy staff and their citizens from the city.

The conversation comes at a time of heightened military tensions and intensified security concerns across several parts of Ukraine. While Moscow did not provide specific details regarding any imminent threat, Russian officials stressed the need for foreign diplomatic missions to prioritise the safety of their personnel.

The United States has not publicly announced any decision regarding the evacuation of diplomats from Kyiv following the call. However, Washington has repeatedly monitored security conditions in Ukraine since the outbreak of the war and has adjusted embassy operations in response to changing ground realities.

Kyiv has remained a critical diplomatic and military centre throughout the conflict, despite recurring missile and drone attacks targeting infrastructure and urban areas. Several foreign embassies had previously scaled down operations during earlier phases of the war but later resumed limited diplomatic activities.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar