The Kremlin: ‘European diplomats should decide whether to evacuate from Kyiv; we will continue our air strikes.’ Figures from the Italian Embassy

The decision by foreign countries on whether or not to evacuate their embassies from Kyiv, following Moscow’s call to do so, will not affect the continuation of Russian air strikes. This was stated by the Kremlin spokesperson, Dmitry Peskov, as quoted by TASS.

“Absolutely yes,” Peskov replied to journalists who asked him whether European diplomats were ignoring Moscow’s warnings and taking responsibility for the consequences. “The decision rests with the countries that have diplomatic missions in Kyiv,” said the Kremlin spokesman. “Our armed forces are continuing their work,” Peskov added.

“I would like to remind you of President Putin’s statements,” his spokesperson continued, “according to which it was the Ukrainian side – the regime in Kyiv – that expanded the list of targets (for bombing) within the Russian civilian economy. And what our armed forces are doing now is a retaliatory response to this. Ukraine must pay – and will certainly pay – a price for these actions,” he concluded.

Italia is one of the foreign countries with an embassy in Kyiv. At present, there are four diplomats (including the Ambassador, Carlo Formosa) and around 25 administrative staff members working there. In terms of its organisational structure, the Embassy coordinates several key departments (political, economic, consular section and development cooperation office, administrative office, military attaché’s office, the Italian Cultural Institute, the ICE agency, the Confindustria office, the financial attaché and the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation), covering various areas of cooperation and assistance. The embassy is located at 32 B Vulytsia Yaroslaviv Val.