Recent events have unfolded in Ukraine, with the country accusing Russia of orchestrating an 'information and psychological attack' by disseminating a false alert of a massive air assault on Kyiv. The warning, purportedly issued by Ukraine's Defense Intelligence, was swiftly debunked as fake by Ukrainian authorities.
The situation escalated further when the US Embassy in Kyiv announced its closure on Wednesday following reports of a potential significant air attack. Subsequently, the Greek, Spanish, and Italian embassies also temporarily shut their doors in response to the perceived threat.
In a Telegram post, Ukraine's Defense Intelligence clarified that the message circulating online about an imminent 'particularly massive' missile and bomb attack on Ukrainian cities was fabricated and bore the hallmarks of Russian disinformation tactics.
Amidst heightened tensions, a US official highlighted the lower threshold for evaluating threat credibility in such environments, especially when facing imminent dangers. The closure of the US Embassy was described as a precautionary measure.
Ukraine's Foreign Ministry weighed in on the embassy closures, emphasizing that the threat of attacks from the aggressor state has been a grim reality for Ukrainians for an extended period. The Ministry cautioned against succumbing to anxieties fueled by Russian misinformation.
As air raid warnings persisted in Kyiv, with sirens sounding multiple times overnight, the Foreign Ministry urged residents to take the alerts seriously. The ongoing airstrikes by Russia on Ukrainian cities underscore the need for vigilance and readiness among the populace.
