Ukraine-Russia war latest: Moscow tells US to evacuate diplomats from Kyiv as Putin threatens revenge strikes

Pinned Russia warns US embassy and foreign citizens to flee Kyiv as it prepares more strikes

Russia has issued a stark warning to foreign nationals, diplomatic missions and staff to leave Kyiv immediately as it will launch “systematic strikes”.

“Given the continued terrorist attacks by the Kiev regime against Russian civilians, @mod_russia will be targeting Ukrainian defence industry facilities in Kiev. Foreign nationals, including diplomatic missions & staff, should leave the city ASAP,” it said in a post on X.

Moscow has said it will attack targets in Kyiv linked to the Ukrainian military as well as decision-making centres.

Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov, on a phone call with the US secretary of state Marco Rubio, also pressured the US to evacuate staff from its embassy.

Arpan Rai26 May 2026 06:00Russian companies ready to finance own air defences

Russian companies are ready to finance the purchase of heavier weapons and electronic systems to defend their plants from drone attacks, Alexander Shokhin, head ⁠of Russia's most powerful business ​lobby, ⁠has told President Vladimir Putin in a meeting.

According to remarks posted on the Kremlin's official website, Shokhin said the companies needed "not only ⁠light weapons of 7.62 caliber, but also larger ones, including various electronic warfare systems, laser installations and other calibers".

"Businesses are ready to finance all this work, but a mechanism is needed where financing schemes are clear. This could be a fund of some sort or another form of targeted financing," Shokhin - head ‌of the Russian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs - was ​quoted saying.

Tom Barnes27 May 2026 00:36EU and member states summon Russian envoys after Moscow tells foreigners to leave Kyiv

Germany, Norway, the Netherlands, and the EU summoned Russian representatives after Moscow threatened strikes on Ukraine's capital, Kyiv, and urged foreigners to leave.

Moscow stated on Monday it would strike Ukrainian military targets and 'decision-making centres' in Kyiv, a day after one of the city's heaviest bombardments of the war.

The European Union's diplomatic service summoned Russia's chargé d'affaires.

Spokesperson Anitta Hipper called Russia's 'threat to foreign citizens & diplomats to leave Kyiv is an unacceptable escalation', urging Moscow to 'stop hitting civilians'. The EU delegation remains.

Norwegian Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide summoned Russia's ambassador, Nikolai Korchunov, to address “the explicit threats against foreign personnel in Ukraine”.

Sweden summoned the Russian ambassador on Monday evening to “condemn Russia's false claims of airspace violations in the Nordic-Baltic region and Russia's threats against Latvia and other countries in the region”.

Daniel Keane26 May 2026 22:00Russia and Kazakhstan will sign nuclear power deal during Putin trip, Kremlin says

Russian President Vladimir Putin will oversee ⁠the signing of a deal outlining ⁠parameters for ​Russian ⁠construction of a ⁠nuclear power ​plant ⁠and a ‌Russian state loan when he ‌visits Kazakhstan this ‌week, the Kremlin ⁠said on Tuesday.

He will also discuss an increase in transshipment of Russian oil ‌to China ​via ‌Kazakhstan, Kremlin ⁠aide Yury ⁠Ushakov told reporters.

Daniel Keane26 May 2026 21:00NATO 'to beef up forces assigned to defend Baltics in war'

At present, NATO forces across the three Baltic nations and northern Poland operate under the command of a single multinational headquarters situated in Szczecin, Poland.

The planned change highlights the critical strategic importance of the Baltics, a region that has been under intense scrutiny since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Assigning a second corps to the region will allow NATO to bring in "mass at speed", as one military official described it, directly addressing the area's limited strategic depth and inherent vulnerability.

When fully operational, an army corps typically commands three divisions, comprising between 40,000 and 60,000 troops. In peacetime, it usually exists as a skeleton command structure, complete with specialist functions such as artillery, air defence, and medics, to facilitate swift troop deployment when required.

Daniel Keane26 May 2026 20:00

Daniel Keane26 May 2026 19:00Russia can 'spoof' GPS signals up to 450km into Europe, says Lithuania

Russia now possesses the capacity to falsify GPS signals up to 450km (280 miles) into Europe from its Kaliningrad exclave, a Lithuanian official revealed on Tuesday.

This expanded capability raises significant concerns about electronic interference across the continent.

These units are located in heavily militarised Kaliningrad, between NATO members Lithuania and Poland on the Baltic coast.

European nations have frequently accused Moscow of electronic interference since the 2022 Ukraine invasion, though President Vladimir Putin's government denies this, citing "Western smear tactics."

Mr Kuliesius stated: "The occasional interference began with the 2023 NATO summit in Vilnius. Now they have built up the infrastructure and the interference has become systemic, permanent, unending Russian provocation against European security."

Daniel Keane26 May 2026 18:00EU summons Russian charge d'affaires after Moscow tells foreigners to leave Kyiv

The European Union has summoned Russia's chargé d'affaires following Moscow's declaration of intent to launch "systematic strikes" on targets in Kyiv, coupled with an urgent call for foreigners to leave the Ukrainian capital.

Anitta Hipper, the bloc's foreign policy spokesperson, announced the diplomatic action on social media platform X, condemning Russia's stance.

Ms Hipper stated: "threat to foreign citizens & diplomats to leave Kyiv is an unacceptable escalation".

The European External Action Service, which issued the summons, also urged Moscow "to stop hitting civilians".

Despite the heightened threats, the EU's delegation confirmed it is remaining in Kyiv.

Daniel Keane26 May 2026 17:00Ukraine expects Nato summit to discuss funding

Ukraine's ambassador to Turkey anticipates NATO will discuss financial support for Kyiv at its July summit, despite a proposal for members to contribute a small budget proportion lacking allied traction.

Kyiv also seeks members to reaffirm support for its strategic goal of joining the military alliance.

Ukraine relies on international aid to cover its budgetary needs and fund the war with Russia.

Zelensky last June called for Western partners to allocate 0.25% of their GDP to help Kyiv ramp up weapons production; NATO chief Rutte also floated alliance members – excluding the US – spending that amount.

Daniel Keane26 May 2026 16:00Pictured: People sit on a sofa outside the damaged building of the Ukrainian National Chernobyl Museum

People sit on a sofa in the street outside the damaged building of the Ukrainian National Chernobyl Museum (AFP/Getty)

Daniel Keane26 May 2026 15:00