The Greek Embassy in Kyiv will be closed today, Wednesday, November 20, for fear of a Russian missile attack on the Ukrainian capital. The closure follows President Joe Biden’s decision to permit the use of ATACMS long-range missiles inside Russia and the subsequent launch of six ballistic missiles at a military facility in the region of Bryansk by Ukraine on Tuesday.
“The Embassy of Greece, for security reasons, will remain closed to the public today. Please avoid traveling and stay in safe areas,” a relevant announcement read, according to public broadcaster ERT correspondent Kostas Onisenko.
On a social media post, the Embassy urged citizens to restrict their movements and stay in safe places.
Government spokesman Pavlos Marinakis in an interview on SKAI 100.3 FM stressed that the closure of the Greek embassy in Kiev is a move for precautionary reasons.
“Other countries have done it with their embassies. There are staff, as we speak, in the embassy for security reasons. There is also a shelter in the building so that it can be used by the staff if necessary,” he added.
Earlier, the U.S. had announced the closure of its embassy in Kyiv following intelligence about a major Russian airstrike on Ukraine.
The U.S. Embassy in Ukraine issued a statement reading:
“The U.S. Embassy in Kyiv has received specific information regarding a potential significant airstrike on November 20. As a precaution, the Embassy will remain closed, and Embassy staff have been instructed to shelter in place. The U.S. Embassy urges American citizens to be prepared to shelter immediately if an air raid alert is announced.”
Global concern of a possible direct conflict between the two nuclear powers has grown after Russian President Vladimir Putin approved an updated nuclear doctrine that allows the country to retaliate with nuclear weapons against Ukraine if it uses weapons of Western nuclear powers to strike inside Russia.
