Russia orders evacuation of Kyiv diplomats; warns of "inevitable" strikes

• Foreign governments urged to pull diplomats and civilians from Kyiv over expected Russian strikes if Moscow is targeted.
• Moscow calls on the world to heed its warnings after alleged Zelensky remarks on Red Square drone activity.
• Russia says EU states are “gravely mistaken” if they think Ukrainian threats can be ignored.

The Russian Foreign Ministry has issued an urgent note to all accredited diplomatic missions in Moscow, warning of "imminent retaliatory strikes" and urging the immediate evacuation of personnel and citizens from Kyiv.

The ministry cited alleged threats from the Ukrainian government to target Moscow during the Victory Day celebrations on May 9.

In a statement on Wednesday, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova emphasized that Moscow is not acting out of aggression but is providing an "inevitable response" to potential provocation.

The Kremlin warned that any attempt to disrupt the sacred holiday would trigger massive strikes against "decision-making centers" in the Ukrainian capital.

Read more: Zelensky says Russia choosing war as dual ceasefires falter

A Tense Holiday Build-Up

The escalation follows Russia's declaration of a unilateral ceasefire for May 8 and 9, which the Kremlin framed as a humanitarian gesture for the 81st anniversary of the victory over Nazi Germany.

However, the proposal has been accompanied by heavy military rhetoric. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky countered the move by announcing his own "silence regime" starting May 6, dismissing the Russian truce as a tactical manipulation to protect a scaled-back military parade.

Security in Moscow is currently at an all-time high. For the first time in nearly two decades, the May 9 parade on Red Square will proceed without a column of heavy military equipment, a decision officials attributed to the "current operational situation" and the persistent threat of long-range drone attacks.