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U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said connected Tuesday (May 26, 2026) that Washington remained acceptable to mediate successful the warfare betwixt Russia and Ukraine, aft Moscow threatened caller strikes connected Kyiv.
Russia's warning, including a telephone for overseas diplomats to fly the Ukrainian capital, marks a caller escalation successful the much than four-year war, with Moscow vowing "systematic" attacks connected Kyiv, including connected "decision-making centres".
Mr. Rubio's connection came aft Russia battered Ukraine implicit the play — including firing its Oreshnik hypersonic missile — and pursuing a telephone telephone with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.
"Every clip you spot these large strikes from 1 broadside oregon the other, it's a reminder of wherefore this is simply a unspeakable warfare that's present gone connected longer than the Second World War, and it needs to travel to an end," Mr. Rubio told reporters during an official sojourn to India.
"The U.S. stands acceptable and prepared to assistance bash immoderate we tin to assistance facilitate the extremity of this war, and hopefully the accidental volition contiguous itself astatine immoderate point," Mr. Rubio said.
An overnight Russian onslaught killed a 45-year-old antheral successful Odesa, determination authoritative Sergii Krasylenko said connected Telegram aboriginal Tuesday (May 26, 2026). Russia's play barrage involving dozens of drones and missiles — killed 4 radical and caused wide harm crossed the Ukrainian capital.
Among the weapons Russia utilized was its Oreshnik hypersonic missile, which tin question 10 times the velocity of dependable and is susceptible of carrying atomic warheads, according to Moscow. The strikes followed Russian accusations that Ukraine deed a vocational schoolhouse successful the Russian-occupied Lugansk region, sidesplitting 21 people. Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered his subject to retaliate.
"Under the existent circumstances, the Russian Armed Forces are starting to motorboat systematic strikes against Ukrainian military-industrial facilities successful Kyiv," Russia's Foreign Ministry said successful a statement. "The strikes volition people some decision-making centres and bid posts... We are informing overseas citizens, including unit of diplomatic missions and planetary organisations, to permission the metropolis arsenic soon arsenic possible," it added.
Mr. Lavrov relayed the informing to Mr. Rubio successful a telephone telephone connected Monday (May 25, 2026), urging him to evacuate U.S. diplomats, Russia's Foreign Ministry said. When asked, Mr. Rubio told reporters connected Tuesday (May 26, 2026) that Russia had "sent a announcement to each the embassies", not conscionable the U.S. mission.
'Not going anywhere'
Russia had already called connected overseas citizens and diplomats to evacuate Kyiv earlier this month, erstwhile it threatened monolithic strikes connected cardinal Kyiv if Ukraine disrupted a subject parade connected Red Square.
Western diplomatic missions successful the metropolis person rebuffed some warnings. A spokesperson for France's Foreign Ministry said connected Monday (May 25, 2026), "We're utilized to Putin's threats. It is retired of the question to evacuate."
The European Union's Ambassador successful Kyiv said connected Facebook, "We are not going anywhere." Ukraine described Russia's threats arsenic "rhetoric". "We are present telling our partners that they should not springiness successful to each this Russian blackmail," Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiga said.
Russia launched its full-scale violative connected Ukraine successful February 2022. The struggle has since spiralled into Europe's deadliest since World War II. U.S.-led talks connected ending the warring person stalled successful caller months owed to the struggle successful the West Asia.
