Following a warning based on “specific information about a potential major air attack” expected on Wednesday, the U.S. Embassy in Kyiv announced a temporary closure.
Embassy staff have been instructed to prepare for sheltering in place.
The embassy urged all U.S. citizens to be ready to seek immediate shelter if an air raid siren sounds,” the statement advised.
Employees were given the following instructions:
This announcement follows Ukraine’s use of American-supplied long-range missiles, a first in the 1,000-day conflict, authorized by President Biden on Sunday.
This is not the first time the embassy has issued a warning about potential threats and a large-scale attack.
A similar alert was issued near Ukraine’s Independence Day on August 24.
On Tuesday, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed an amended decree, stating that any attack on Russia supported by a nuclear-armed state could trigger a nuclear response.
Digital’s Elizabeth Pritchett contributed to this report.