Russian diplomacy on Monday called on foreign nationals living in kyiv, including diplomatic staff, to leave the Ukrainian capital before further bombings by the Russian army.
Édouard Philippe is expected in kyiv this Tuesday, May 26 while Russia has called on foreigners to leave the capital because it threatens to bomb official buildings, in particular “decision centers”. The mayor of Le Havre and candidate for the presidential election filmed himself in Chelm station, in the south-east of Poland on the border with Ukraine. The video was posted Monday evening on his Instagram account.
“We are going to board this blue and yellow train. He’s going to drive us all night to kyiv, for 12 hours, he drives very slowly.”declared the former prime minister who had already traveled to Ukraine twice. This time he is traveling to kyiv for the annual International Summit of Cities and Regions, where he is due to deliver a speech. He said he wanted “honor an invitation from the Ukrainian government which is organizing a forum bringing together local authorities across Europe who have supported Ukraine in its fight against Russian aggression”he explained.
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“We tried to do our best to show our solidarity with the Ukrainian population in this moment of great violence inflicted on them by Russian aggression”continued the councilor.
Four dead in bombings
Édouard Philippe maintained this move despite the recent Russian bombings which targeted kyiv in recent days. At least four people were killed in these massive attacks this weekend, and around a hundred others were injured. Russia fired a latest generation missile, the Orechnik, for the third time since the start of the conflict.
In this context, Russian diplomacy on Monday called on foreign nationals living in kyiv, including diplomatic staff, to leave the Ukrainian capital before further bombings. News “Strikes will be carried out on decision-making centers” and “companies of the military-industrial complex” in kyiv, warned the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs in a press release, without giving a precise time frame before these attacks.
“It’s not about taking risks”
“We warn foreign nationals, including staff of diplomatic missions and representations of international organizations, of the need to leave the city as soon as possible, and residents of the Ukrainian capital not to approach military and administrative infrastructure.”he added.
Édouard Philippe’s entourage justified the mayor of Le Havre’s choice to maintain his trip to BFMTV. “It is not a question of taking reckless security risks, but of responding to an invitation from the Ukrainian authorities and this invitation still stands.”defended this source. A direct response to the message from the head of Ukrainian diplomacy. Andriï Sybiga in fact called on kyiv’s partners to “do not give in to Russian blackmail” and to provide more aid and arms to Ukraine.
