Western embassies

Several Western countries have drawn up contingency plans to move their embassies out of Kyiv, The Guardian reports. Diplomatic missions could be relocated to Lviv or eastern Poland if security conditions deteriorate. Diplomats say they remain in the Ukrainian capital for now, but the preparations signal growing concern that the risk to staff and operations may increase in the coming months.

Several Western governments are preparing to move or reduce their embassy operations in Kyiv as Russia intensifies air strikes on the Ukrainian capital. The planned relocations affect diplomatic staff and visa services, and are being read as a signal of deteriorating security conditions. Officials stress that diplomatic presence will continue in some form, but the moves underline growing concern about the safety of foreign missions amid sustained Russian missile and drone attacks.

Ukraine's Foreign Ministry has denied reports that Western countries were planning to relocate their embassies from Kyiv, saying no such relocation plans had been formally communicated to it. The denial comes amid ongoing concern about Russian strikes on the capital and past episodes in which Western diplomatic missions temporarily moved staff or closed over security warnings.

The Guardian reports, citing two senior Western diplomats, that Western governments are preparing contingency plans to relocate their embassies from Kyiv to Lviv or eastern Poland if Russian attacks on the Ukrainian capital intensify. Ukraine's foreign ministry denies the report, disputing claims that such evacuation preparations are underway.

Western countries have drawn up contingency plans to relocate their embassies from Kyiv to Lviv or to Poland if the security situation in Ukraine deteriorates further, The Guardian reports. Publicly, Western diplomats say they intend to stay in the capital to avoid giving the impression of an evacuation, but the contingency preparations signal growing concern about risks from the ongoing war.