Russia has issued a blunt ultimatum to the United States: evacuate American diplomats and citizens from Kyiv or prepare for intensified “systematic and consistent strikes” on Ukrainian targets. The warning came directly from Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov to his US counterpart Marco Rubio, just one day after Russia unleashed hundreds of drones and a powerful new hypersonic missile on the Ukrainian capital.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov later confirmed the message at a Moscow briefing, stating Russian forces will target military facilities and “decision-making centres.” Peskov said: “For us, the priority is the warning that was issued.” He declined to clarify the exact meaning of “systematic strikes,” adding only that “systematicity is not the same as periodicity”.

Speaking to reporters in India, Mr Rubio confirmed the call. He said: “I think he was just calling me personally to tell me,” while acknowledging the heightened dangers in Kyiv. He added: “The danger in all of these wars… is that they always have the threat of escalation.”

The timing follows heavy Russian attacks that damaged residential areas in Kyiv and Kramatorsk, where rescuers recovered bodies from rubble. Images showed injured elderly civilians and destroyed apartment buildings.

Russia justified the offensive by accusing Ukraine of striking a school dormitory in Russian-occupied Luhansk last week, killing over 20 people.

Moscow labelled the incident “terrorism.” Ukrainian officials rejected the claim, saying their forces hit a Russian drone unit headquarters.

Foreign embassies largely dismissed the evacuation demand as nothing new after years of conflict. EU Ambassador to Ukraine Katarina Mathernova called Russia’s threats “a masterpiece of hypocrisy.”

The Netherlands, Germany and Norway summoned Russian diplomats in protest. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres expressed deep concern.

On X, former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev mocked the EU’s decision to keep diplomats in Kyiv: “Well, apparently they’ve got diplomats to spare and need to trim the headcount.”

Analysis by the Institute for the Study of War suggests the escalation serves multiple Kremlin purposes.

The report argues Putin is seeking to distract from Russia’s vulnerabilities, including Ukraine’s increasing long-range drone strikes on Russian territory and domestic economic strains from the prolonged war.

It notes the Kremlin often ramps up attacks before and after peace talks to disrupt negotiations.

Despite the threats, many Kyiv residents remain defiant, continuing daily life amid the danger. Rubio urged an end to the conflict, warning of further escalation if it drags on.

This latest exchange highlights the persistent risk of a wider escalation more than three years into Russia’s full-scale invasion.

Because both sides continue to trade devastating blows while peace efforts remain stalled, Moscow’s explicit warning to Washington underscores just how fragile the diplomatic tightrope has become for everyone involved.