Cairo: Hani Kamal El-Din
The Italian Embassy in Kyiv has announced its closure on November 20 due to threats of a missile attack, as reported by Strana.ua. This decision follows the closures of the U.S. and Spanish embassies in the Ukrainian capital.
“The Italian Embassy is closing today due to missile threats, following the actions of the U.S. and Spanish embassies,” the statement read.
Later on November 20, EFE reported that the Spanish Embassy in Kyiv would not provide services to visitors during the day due to potential security threats. Spanish citizens residing in Ukraine were notified of this by email.
Earlier, the U.S. Embassy in Kyiv had announced its closure in response to warnings of a possible large-scale airstrike on November 20. The embassy urged U.S. citizens in Ukraine to be prepared to shelter immediately in case of an air raid alert.
On the morning of November 20, explosions were heard in Kyiv and the Brovary area in the Kyiv region amid an air raid alert. This comes amid rising security concerns in Ukraine, prompting several countries to take precautionary measures to protect their diplomatic missions and citizens.
The closure of the Italian Embassy in Kyiv reflects growing concerns about military escalation in the region, where fighting continues in various parts of Ukraine. It also highlights the increasing threats faced by foreign missions amidst the unstable security situation.
