EU summons Russian envoy after Moscow warns of strikes on Kyiv

Brussels: The European Union (EU) summoned Russia’s charge d’affaires to the EU on Tuesday after Russia warned of further strikes on the Ukrainian capital and urged foreign citizens and diplomats to leave Kyiv, European Commission foreign affairs spokesperson Anitta Hipper said Tuesday.

Speaking at a daily press briefing, Hipper described Russia’s remarks as “unacceptable.”

Russia’s Foreign Ministry said Monday that Russian armed forces were carrying out “consistent and systematic strikes” on Ukrainian military-industrial facilities in Kyiv following a Ukrainian drone attack in Starobelsk in the Luhansk region, Xinhua news agency reported.

According to Russian Human Rights Commissioner Yana Lantratova, the attack on Starobelsk college resulted in the death of 21 and left more than 60 injured. At the time of the impact, there were 86 children aged 14 to 18.

Russia’s Foreign Ministry also urged foreign citizens, including diplomatic personnel and staff of international organisations, to leave Kyiv as soon as possible, and advised local residents to avoid military and administrative infrastructure facilities in the Ukrainian capital.

Hipper said the EU would maintain its presence and operations in Kyiv.

“What we will do on our side is to continue our support to Ukraine, which needs air defence and further financial support,” she said.

Hipper also said EU foreign ministers will hold an informal meeting in Cyprus in the coming days, during which they will discuss ways to increase international pressure on Russia.

On the same day, Norway’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs summoned Russian Ambassador to Norway Nikolay Viktorovich Korchunov for talks.

“We summoned the ambassador to protest the threats against foreign personnel in Ukraine made by Russia in recent days,” Norwegian Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide said in a release.

On Sunday, the Russian Defence Ministry stated that it had carried out attacks on the Ukrainian defence industry, military infrastructure, and command posts of the General Command of the Ukrainian Ground Forces, the Main Directorate of Intelligence of the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine.

“No strikes were planned or carried out against the civilian infrastructure of Ukraine,” it highlighted.

IANS