Russia warns foreigners to leave Kyiv as it prepares ‘systematic strikes’

Moscow calls upcoming ‘systematic strikes’ on Ukrainian capital a response to Kyiv’s recent attack in Luhansk.Russia has warned it plans to launch a “series of systematic strikes” on defence industrial facilities in Kyiv, and urged foreign citizens to leave the Ukrainian capital.In a statement, the Ministry of Defence said the strikes are in response to a Ukrainian drone attack last week that struck a student dorm in Starobilsk in the occupied Luhansk region, killing at least 18 people.Recommended Stories list of 4 itemslist 1 of 4Zelenskyy says ‘time is right’ for Ukraine to start process of joining EUlist 2 of 4Russian attacks on Ukraine’s Kyiv kill at least four peoplelist 3 of 4Russia pounds Ukraine’s capital with hypersonic missilelist 4 of 4Russia invites media to view deadly strike on college in Luhanskend of listUkraine has raised its drone warfare capabilities in recent months, and has seen significant success in striking Russian targets, energy infrastructure in particular. Moscow, which launched a full-scale invasion of its neighbour four years ago and claims four of Ukraine’s eastern regions as its own, has branded those attacks as “terrorism” and responded with large missile and drone launches.The Russian Foreign Ministry said in Monday’s statement that the strike on Starobilsk signalled “the last straw” and that Russia will launch a systematic series of strikes in response, which will target “specific sites where UAVs are designed, manufactured, programmed, and prepared for use”.Noting that such facilities “are scattered throughout Kyiv,” the statement said it was warning “foreign citizens, including personnel of diplomatic missions and international organisations, to leave the city as soon as possible”.It also urged Kyiv residents to avoid approaching military and administrative infrastructure facilities”, the statement read.‘Terror and murder’Launched overnight on Thursday into Friday, the drone salvo that hit Starobilsk – one of Ukraine’s deadliest such strikes in months – also wounded 42 people.