US embassy in Kyiv now fears 'missile' strike by Russia; asks Americans to leave Ukraine

Russian officials have blamed Kyiv for an attempted drone attack on the Kremlin, while the US embassy in Kyiv has cautioned Americans to be vigilant for air alarms and to take proper precautions as the security situation might quickly develop. On Wednesday night, the US Department of State issued a security notice citing a “recent uptick in strikes across Ukraine and inflammatory rhetoric from Moscow” as reasons for the “heightened threat of missile attacks” in Ukraine. Russian officials issued a “retaliation” warning earlier in the day in response to a drone strike by Ukraine on the Kremlin. One of the US embassy’s safety recommendations stressed, “Be aware that even if the approaching missile or drone is stopped, falling debris offers a substantial risk. Any American who is still in Ukraine must have “a contingency plan that does not rely on US government assistance,” according to the US embassy, and should leave the nation “when it is safe to do so.” The Russian president’s office reported on Wednesday morning that two small unmanned aircraft were shot down using electronic warfare techniques over Vladimir Putin’s working apartment. The attack was termed as a “preplanned terrorist action” by Ukrainian soldiers and an attempt on Putin’s life by the Kremlin in a statement. While White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre asserted on Wednesday that the US “is not encouraging or enabling Ukraine to strike beyond its borders,” Kyiv has denied responsibility for the attack. Since the beginning of Moscow’s military action in Ukraine last year, Ukrainian forces have conducted many attacks into Russian territory. As Secretary of State Antony Blinken stated following a drone strike on Russian military facilities in December, American authorities have consistently maintained that they “neither encouraged nor enabled” the strikes. Similar language has been used by American officials to justify their hesitation to give Ukraine long-range missiles, such as ATACMS rounds for use with Kyiv’s US-provided HIMARS rocket artillery platforms. These 300-kilometer-range missiles might be used by Ukrainian forces to attack Russia’s border regions, though not Moscow. To assault Russian territory, Ukraine has used some weapons supplied by the US. While the precise weapons used in the overnight attack on the Kremlin are unknown, American-made Switchblade drones have reportedly been used to target the Belgorod region. Earlier this month, the US also sent Ukraine an unspecified number of Altius 600 “kamikaze” drones. With a three-kilogram warhead and a 445-kilometer range, these drones can just about go from the northeast of Ukraine to Moscow. Additionally, the US has provided Ukraine with rocket-propelled bombs for use with its HIMARS systems as well as tacit approval for Kyiv to use these weapons against Crimea. Read all the Latest News , Trending News ,  Cricket News , Bollywood News , India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.