US Issues Dire Warning to Citizens in Ukraine Ahead of Independence Day

The U.S. embassy in Ukraine has warned of possible drone and missile attacks ahead of Ukraine's Independence Day on Saturday.

This comes as the conflict with Russia has intensified following Ukraine's incursion into Kursk. The country will mark 33 years of independence from the Soviet Union on Saturday. Its Independence Day has taken on greater meaning since Vladimir Putin launched his full-scale offensive into the country in February of 2022.

In a statement shared on the website of the U.S. embassy, it said: "The U.S. Embassy in Kyiv assesses that during the next several days and through the weekend there is an increased risk of both nighttime and daytime Russian drone and missile attacks throughout Ukraine in connection with Ukraine's Independence Day on August 24."

Newsweek reached out to the U.S. embassy in Ukraine, which said it had nothing to add to the statement. The embassy advised that citizens should monitor local media for updates, identify shelter locations in advance of any air alert, immediately take shelter if an air alert is announced and follow directions of Ukrainian officials and first responders.

Earlier this week, a top Russian official said that Ukraine's Kursk incursion had ended "any possibility" of peace negotiations. Ukrainian officials had previously said that peace talks were the one way that Russia could stop the offensive on Kursk.

Ukraine launched the offensive on Russian soil earlier this month and thousands of Russians have since been evacuated from Kursk and the surrounding regions.

A Ukrainian foreign ministry spokesperson said that the sooner Russia agrees to peace, the sooner the Ukrainian raids on Russian territory will stop, according to RBK Ukraine.

Armed clashes have since intensified across southwestern Russia.

Drone attacks from Ukraine into Russia have also increased. Russian air defenses intercepted 11 Ukrainian drones that targeted Moscow, in what the Kremlin described as "one of the largest" drone attacks that has ever taken place.

Moscow's mayor, Sergei Sobyanin, said that it was "one of the largest attempts to attack Moscow with drones." No casualties were reported, and no damage was sustained.

Ukrainian forces have also targeted air bases in Russia that host tactical and strategic bombers in mass drone strikes over the past two days. These included the Marinovka military airfield in the southwest Vologograd region.

After a Ukrainian drone attacked the Olenya air base in the Murmansk region of Russia, multiple explosions were then reported at Marinovka, a Russian Aerospace Forces air base in the village of Oktyabrsky.

Ukraine has also continued to attack Moscow's warships, with Russia now struggling to repair its Black Sea Fleet ships, according to Kyiv's military.

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