Ukraine says no foreign embassies have requested to leave Kyiv amid Russian strikes
Ukraine's Foreign Ministry says it has received no notice from any diplomatic mission about plans to relocate from Kyiv despite intensified Russian attacks.
On Oct. 2, Ukraine's Foreign Ministry announced that it has not been approached by any foreign diplomatic mission seeking to relocate from the capital, despite a surge in Russian missile and drone attacks. Spokesperson Heorhii Tykhyi explained that any relocation request would be formally communicated, and none had been received as of that evening. The statement responded to a Guardian story in which an unnamed senior diplomat described the deteriorating security situation and mentioned possible moves to Lviv or eastern Poland should Russian forces deliberately target embassies.
Russia has a history of pressuring foreign missions, issuing warnings in May and damaging several embassy buildings, including the Albanian ambassador's residence and the EU mission. Nevertheless, the majority of diplomatic staff continue to operate in Kyiv, and no official evacuation requests have been filed.
Why it matters
It shows whether foreign diplomats will stay in Kyiv, affecting diplomatic relations and international response to Russia's assault.
How this story developed
- Sep 3 Ukraine reports heavy Russian personnel and equipment losses in ongoing war
- Sep 19 President Trump signed the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026 into law.
- Sep 21 Preliminary results show United Russia winning 355 of the 450 State Duma seats, surpassing its previous 2016 high. The foreign ministries of the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Norway issued a joint statement condemning elections held in Crimea and the four Ukrainian regions seized by Russia as violations of Ukraine's sovereignty. They demanded accountability for those organizing the vote and urged Russia to end its war and accept an unconditional ceasefire. The same period saw France support the removal of oligarch Alisher Usmanov from the EU sanctions list, a move backed by Slovakia and linked to broader negotiations over detained French nationals in Azerbaijan.
- Sep 21 Western allies issued a joint declaration condemning the election as a breach of Ukraine’s sovereignty.
- Sep 22 EU announced a €3.3 billion release for Ukrainian missile and drone purchases.
- Sep 24 During a gathering with Ukrainian-Americans, Zelensky confirmed an agreement to receive more Patriot missiles, a system vital for countering Russian ballistic attacks. He withheld the identity of the supplying nation and gave no timeline or quantity. The statement came amid his U.S. visit, where he also met President Donald Trump about Ukraine's defense needs. Separate records show the United States is prepared to approve ten German-origin interceptors worth $29.6 million, but delivery dates remain unclear. Overall, the announcement underscores Kyiv's urgent shortage of air-defense munitions as winter approaches.
- Sep 24 Reports allege that corporate managers pressured staff to vote for United Russia, suggesting coercion in the electoral process.
- Sep 25 Trump communicated to Zelensky about licences for domestic Patriot missile production.
- Sep 25 Russian foreign ministry spokesperson Marija Zakharova called Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky a “bastardo senza gloria”, saying he has lost dignity and is dependent on prohibited substances.
- Sep 26 At the UN General Assembly, Sergej Lavrov declared that the threat to Russian security will be eliminated and that peaceful life will return, while accusing Europe of blocking peace talks.
- Sep 26 President Trump publicly urged Ukraine to negotiate a settlement with Russia.
- Sep 27 German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul held a bilateral meeting with Sergej Lavrov at the United Nations, the first such talks at this level since the conflict began.
- Sep 28 Polish Deputy Prime Minister Radosław Sikorski publicly urged Lavrov to end the war during a UN Security Council debate.
- Oct 2 Communist Party leader Gennady Zyuganov asked President Putin to audit the North Caucasus election results.
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