Russia Threatens Systematic Strikes on Kyiv and Mass Destruction as Germany and EU Summon Envoys
Russia demanded foreign citizens and diplomats leave Kyiv ahead of planned systematic strikes, prompting Germany and the EU to summon Russian diplomats on Tuesday.
A series of sharp Russian escalations in its war on Ukraine triggered a wave of diplomatic pushback from the West. On Monday, Moscow’s foreign ministry called on all foreign nationals and diplomats to leave Kyiv, warning that the Russian military would begin “systematic strikes” against political and military decision‑making centres in the capital. The threats followed a massive missile bombardment of Kyiv on Sunday — one of the heaviest since the full‑scale invasion began — and prompted Berlin and Brussels to summon Russian representatives.
Russian threats and the Starobilsk pretext
The new wave of threats is being justified by Russia as retaliation for a drone attack on a dormitory in Starobilsk, a town in the occupied Luhansk region. According to Russian occupation authorities, the attack last Friday killed 21 civilians. Ukraine’s General Staff, however, stated that the strike had targeted a drone unit of the Russian military. After the incident, President Vladimir Putin ordered retaliatory action.
All this can lead to us using a weapon that leaves no trace of anyone.
Vyacheslav Volodin, Chairman of the State Duma, went further, explicitly threatening the use of weapons of mass destruction in the event of further attacks on Russian civilians. His statement, distributed by the Duma press service, was carried by multiple German‑language outlets.
Sunday’s Oreshnik strike on Kyiv
On Sunday, Russia launched a large‑scale air attack on Kyiv, employing a new nuclear‑capable hypersonic missile designated Oreshnik. This was the third documented combat use of the weapon. The barrage killed two people and injured 91 in the capital. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz was among the European leaders who condemned the attack. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov defended the operation in a phone call with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, arguing it was a direct response to the Starobilsk dormitory strike.
Continued assaults on the home front
Even as the diplomatic confrontations unfolded, Russian forces continued their bombardment of Ukrainian rear areas. On Monday evening, guided glide bombs struck Kramatorsk in Donetsk region, injuring twelve people, including an eight‑year‑old boy. Local governor Vadym Filashkin said it was the third heavy attack on the city that day. In the south, the port city of Odessa suffered damage to an infrastructure facility after shelling. At least one person was killed and fifteen wounded there, with one victim later succumbing to injuries, according to military governor Serhiy Lyssak.
- Drone attack hits a dormitory in Starobilsk (occupied Luhansk); Russian authorities say 21 civilians are killed.
- Russia launches massive missile attack on Kyiv with Oreshnik hypersonic missile; 2 killed, 91 injured.
- Russia demands foreigners and diplomats leave Kyiv, warning of systematic strikes on decision‑making centres.
- Russian air strikes hit Odessa and Kramatorsk, killing 1 in Odessa, injuring 15 there and 12 in Kramatorsk.
- Germany summons Russian ambassador; EU summons Russian chargé d’affaires, calling escalation “unacceptable.”
- Lithuania reports Russia expanded Kaliningrad GPS‑jamming antennas from 3 to 36, affecting signals up to 450 km.
Western diplomatic response
Berlin reacted firmly. The Auswärtiges Amt (Federal Foreign Office) summoned Russian Ambassador Sergei Nechayev on Tuesday and issued a sharp condemnation. “The threat from Russia that all foreign citizens should leave Kyiv shows that Putin is continuing to rely on escalation,” the ministry stated, adding that attempts to split Ukraine and its supporters through threats and terror would fail. It stressed that deliberate attacks on diplomatic missions constitute a serious violation of international humanitarian law. The ministry also confirmed it remains in constant contact with the German embassy in Kyiv and that staff safety has the highest priority.
We made it clear to Russia today: we will not be intimidated by threats and will continue to provide strong support to Ukraine.
The European Union similarly called in the senior Russian representative in Brussels. EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas described Moscow’s demand as an “unacceptable escalation.”
GPS jamming expansion from Kaliningrad
Beyond the immediate fighting, Lithuania’s communications regulator drew attention to a significant expansion of Russian electronic warfare capabilities. The number of GPS‑jamming antennas in the heavily militarised exclave of Kaliningrad — wedged between NATO members Lithuania and Poland — has jumped from three at the start of 2025 to 36 now, said deputy director Darius Kuliesius. The installations can distort signals up to 450 km away. Russia did not respond to a request for comment, having previously dismissed similar accusations as a smear campaign.
