Russia threatens strikes on Kyiv, urges foreigners to leave city

Russia launched scores of drones and missiles at Ukraine over the weekend, killing four people, wounding dozens and causing damage across the Ukrainian capital.

Among the weapons Russia used was its Oreshnik hypersonic missile, which can travel 10 times the speed of sound and is capable of carrying nuclear warheads, according to Moscow.

The barrage came days after Russia accused Kyiv of striking a vocational school in the Lugansk region, killing 21 people. Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered his military to retaliate.

"Under the current circumstances, the Russian Armed Forces are starting to launch systematic strikes against Ukrainian military-industrial facilities in Kyiv," Russia's foreign ministry said in a statement.

"The strikes will target both decision-making centres and command posts... We are warning foreign citizens, including personnel of diplomatic missions and international organisations, to leave the city as soon as possible," it added.

Ukraine described Russia's threats as "rhetoric".

"We are now telling our partners that they should not give in to all this Russian blackmail," Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiga said.

Russia had already called on foreign citizens and diplomats to evacuate Kyiv earlier this month, when it threatened massive strikes on central Kyiv if Ukraine disrupted a military parade on Red Square.

A spokesperson for France's foreign ministry said: "We're used to Putin's threats. It is out of the question to evacuate" French diplomats.

Russia launched its full-scale offensive on Ukraine in February 2022.

The conflict has since spiralled into Europe's deadliest since World War II.