The United States Embassy in Kyiv (Ukraine) decided to temporarily close its headquarters after receiving “precise” information about a possible “significant” air attack against the city this Wednesday. “The American Embassy in kyiv has received specific information regarding a possible major airstrike on November 20,” warned the institution.
The threat comes amid maximum tension in the region, where an escalation is expected after The United States will authorize the use of ATACMS missiles against Russian territory. To this, Russian President Vladimir Putin’s authorization to use nuclear weapons added in case its territory is the target of a conventional attack.
As a precautionary measure, “the embassy will be closed”, warns the diplomatic legation in a press release addressed to American citizens. He also assures that “instructions have been given to embassy employees to shelter in place”.
The American Embassy recommends that American citizens who “e“Be prepared to take shelter immediately in case an air alert is announced.” The legation also advises taking certain measures in the event of an attackhow to pay attention to local media For updates, identify shelter locations before any air alert, take shelter immediately if an air alert is announced, or follow instructions from Ukrainian authorities and emergency services.
The embassy’s message comes days after the administration of Joe Bidenaccording to various media, authorized Kyiv the use of long-range ATACMS missiles against Russian territorywhich represents a turning point in the war which began in February 2022 and which yesterday, Tuesday, He had 1,000 days.
These missiles were already used this Tuesday by the Ukrainian army, according to the Kremlin, which accuses the United States of “add fuel to the fire” in this conflict. American media also claim that Biden, who will hand over power to Republican Donald Trump on January 20, will authorize the supply of antipersonnel landmines to Ukraine.
Tension after the ATACMS attacks
The Russian Defense Ministry assured that the Ukrainian armed forces attacked the Bryansk region with long-range missiles on Tuesday evening. ATACMSdays after the United States government gave the green light to the use of these projectiles outside Ukraine’s borders.
The ministry reported shooting around at 3:25 a.m. (local time) of at least six missiles, of which five were shot down by Russian air defense systems and another was “damaged”. The attack caused no injuries, although the remains of one of the missiles fell into a military installation and caused a fire, according to the official Moscow version collected by the TASS agency.
Threat of nuclear weapons
The Russian president ratified a decree modifying the nuclear doctrine on Tuesday from Moscowwhich broadens the type and origin of the threats to which it could respond with this type of weapons, in the midst of an invasion of Ukraine and in the face of possible attacks by kyiv with long-range weapons against its territory.
The decree, published on the legal documents portal of the Russian authorities, aims to “improve state policy in the field of nuclear deterrence” and envisages its entry into force from the same signature of Putin. Thus, he emphasizes that the “strategic planning document” includes the “official position on nuclear deterrence”, “defines the dangers and military threats against which nuclear deterrence is applied” and guarantees a response to “aggression” from a “potential enemy”. “, either against Russia or “against its allies”.
“State policy on nuclear deterrence is defensive in nature and aims to maintain the potential of nuclear forces at a sufficient level,” he says, before emphasizing that they include “States and military alliances” to which this “nuclear containment” could apply.
The new Russian nuclear doctrine also envisages that this type of weaponry could be used not only in the event of a nuclear threat against Moscow, but against non-nuclear hypersonic weapons, drones and ballistic and cruise missiles which pose a threat to Russian territory, thus expanding the criteria considered so far.
Subsequently, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that the pillars of Russia’s nuclear policy aim to “ensure it is clear that a potential adversary understands the inevitability of the response in the event of aggression against the Russian Federation or its allies.
