EU Will Not Evacuate Kyiv Mission Despite Russian Threats

The European Union will not evacuate its diplomatic mission in Kyiv despite Russian threats ahead of May 9, a spokesperson said. EU officials described Moscow’s warnings as escalation tactics and stressed that attacks on Kyiv remain a daily reality. The bloc said it will maintain its presence despite ongoing risks and previous damage to diplomatic sites. Make us preferred on Google Share Facebook X (Twitter) LinkedIn Bluesky Email Copy Copied The European and Ukrainian flags are displayed in front of the Altiero-Spinelli building, the European Parliament in Brussels, to mark the third anniversary of the Russian invasion of Ukraine in the European Quarter of Brussels on February 24, 2025. (Photo by JOHN THYS / AFP) Content Share Facebook X (Twitter) LinkedIn Bluesky Email Copy Copied Flip Make us preferred on Google The European Union will not evacuate its diplomatic mission in Kyiv despite Russian threats of possible attacks on May 9, a European Commission spokesperson said on Thursday, May 7. According to European Commission Foreign Affairs spokesperson Anouar El Anouni , the EU does not plan to change its presence in the Ukrainian capital. Follow our coverage of the war on the @Kyivpost_official . “Russia’s public threats to attack Kyiv are part of its reckless escalation tactics,” El Anouni said. “As for us, the EU, we will not change our position or presence in Kyiv.” El Anouni said Russia is attempting to shift blame for its full-scale invasion onto Ukraine. “Russia is again outrageously trying to blame Ukraine for its own war of aggression,” he said. The spokesperson added that Russian strikes on Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities remain ongoing. “Russian attacks are a daily reality in Kyiv and other parts of Ukraine,” El Anouni said, noting that previous strikes have damaged diplomatic missions, including the EU delegation. He also said that despite repeated calls for a ceasefire, including recent proposals by President Volodymyr Zelensky, Russia has shown no willingness to de-escalate. Earlier, Russia warned foreign diplomatic missions and international organizations that it could launch “massive retaliatory strikes” on Kyiv , including against “decision-making centers,” if Ukraine disrupts Victory Day events in Moscow. Other Topics of Interest Ukraine Hits Russia’s Perm Refinery With Long-Range Drones Ukraine said it struck a major oil refinery in Perm, nearly 1,500 kilometers away, again on Thursday, following earlier attacks a week prior. Russian outlets confirmed the strike and reported that drones hit a building near a defense-linked facility, though the broader impact on Russia’s oil revenues remains unclear. Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said that Moscow had sent an official note to foreign missions urging them to ensure the “timely evacuation” of diplomatic staff and citizens from the Ukrainian capital. The warning comes ahead of Russia’s May 9 Victory Day celebrations, which commemorate the Soviet Union’s victory over Nazi Germany in World War II. The Kremlin earlier declared a unilateral ceasefire for May 8-9 to coincide with the commemorations. President Volodymyr Zelensky dismissed the proposal as a cynical attempt to protect Moscow’s parade rather than a genuine move toward peace. Zelensky proposed Ukraine’s own ceasefire beginning May 6, but said Russia ignored it and continued strikes across multiple Ukrainian regions. “Today, virtually all day long, virtually every hour, we have been receiving reports of strikes from various regions,” Zelensky said in his evening address . He said Ukraine would respond “ mirror-like “ to Russia’s violations and decide its next steps accordingly. Moscow has also moved to scale back this year’s Victory Day parade, with military hardware expected to be absent from the procession for the first time in almost two decades due to what Russian officials called the “operational situation.” Russia also said it will impose broad restrictions on mobile internet access in Moscow on Saturday , including limits on so-called “whitelisted” websites, during Victory Day celebrations. Kyiv Post is Ukraine’s first and oldest English news organization since 1995. Its international market reach of 97% outside of Ukraine makes it truly Ukraine’s Global – and most reliable – Voice.