The possibility of a “major airstrike” prompts some Western embassies in kyiv, including those of the United States and Portugal, to close their doors. But there are already plans for its reopening.
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First came the United States of America (USA). In a tense situation between the West and Russia, due to Ukraine’s permission to use long-range missiles, the US embassy in kyiv reported that it “received precise information about a possible significant air attack” this Wednesday morning and the facilities were closed. They were followed by the diplomatic corps of some European countries, such as Italy, Spain and Greece. In the afternoon it was time to Portugal and Canada close your embassy.
“As a precautionary measure, the embassy will be closed and embassy employees are advised to seek shelter in the event of an attack,” says a note from the US embassy, recommending US citizens in Ukraine to seek shelter in case of an air alert.
However, the situation changed quickly. In mid-afternoon, the United States ambassador to Ukraine, Bridget Brink, noted that the embassy “has resumed services after a temporary suspension,” without detailing, however, whether the embassy would reopen its doors. “We continue to encourage US citizens to remain alert, monitor Ukrainian sources for updates, and stay in shelters if there is an air alert,” the diplomat wrote on X (formerly Twitter).
.@USEmbassyKiev has resumed services following a temporary shelter-in-place suspension today. We continue to encourage U.S. citizens to remain alert, monitor official Ukrainian sources for updates, and be prepared to shelter in place if an air alert is announced…
—Ambassador Bridget A. Brink (@USAmbKyiv) November 20, 2024
State Department spokesman Matthew Miller highlighted, in a instructions newspaper, that the North American embassy should reopen its doors this Thursday.
The Portuguese Minister of Foreign Affairs, Paulo Rangel, also admitted that the Portuguese embassy could reopen this Thursday. In statements to RTP3, from São Paulo, the government official highlighted that these episodes “are repeated” frequently. “Sometimes it opens one day and closes the next. In the morning it is evacuated, at lunchtime it reopens,” he said.
“It has happened many times,” repeated Paulo Rangel, explaining that the decision was made in consultation with Portugal’s “allies.” The head of Portuguese diplomacy stressed that, in a country that is at war, this is the “daily life of an embassy.” “They have been several times” Decisions of this type have been made, he reiterated.
Ukraine, in turn, reacted with disgust to the closure of Western embassies. Ukrainian authorities accused Russia of spreading disinformation that a large-scale attack would occur this Wednesday, in what they described as “a massive attack of psychological information.”
According to authorities, “the message being spread through social media about the threat of a ‘particularly massive’ missile and bomb attack against Ukrainian cities today.” “This message is false, it contains grammatical errors typical of Russian psychological and intelligence operations.” The note also says.
In his daily speech, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky also criticized the “information frenzy” that was experienced this Thursday with some “panic messages.” “This only benefits Russia,” explained the Head of State.
Source: Observadora
