Russia has issued a stark warning to foreign nationals, diplomatic missions, and staff to immediately evacuate Kyiv, saying it would launch "systematic strikes" on Ukrainian defence industry facilities and decision-making centres. Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov pressured US Secretary of State Marco Rubio to also evacuate staff from its embassy.
EU Mission Dismisses Warning
The head of the EU mission in Kyiv, Katarina Mathernova, dismissed Russia's warning as an attempt to sow panic, affirming that "the EU is not going anywhere. We are staying in Kyiv. We are staying with Ukraine."
Ukraine's Defence Gains
Ukraine's Defence Ministry reported significant success in damaging Russia's air defence capabilities, having destroyed over 80 systems since March, with a notable intensification of strikes in April compared to October 2025.
Ayrton Redfearn, a 23-year-old British man, was killed in action on 9 May in Ukraine's Donetsk region, having joined a specialist unit supporting the Ukrainian army in 2025.
Magnetic mines, reportedly manufactured in a Nato country, were discovered and subsequently deactivated on the tanker Arrhenius in Russia's Baltic Sea port of Ust-Luga. Russia's Investigative Committee said they could not have been installed in Russian territorial waters, a claim Nato denied.
