kyiv – The United States closed its embassy in kyiv on Wednesday due to “specific reports of a potential significant air attack” and asked its Ukrainian citizens to be prepared to quickly seek refuge.

The unusual warning came a day after Ukraine used U.S. ATACMS missiles to strike Russian territory, taking advantage of authorization recently granted by the outgoing administration of U.S. President Joe Biden on the 1,000th day of the war.

“Out of an abundance of caution, the embassy will be closed and embassy employees have been instructed to shelter in place,” the U.S. Department of State for Consular Affairs said in a statement posted on the Embassy website. the American embassy.

“The U.S. Embassy recommends that U.S. citizens be prepared to immediately seek shelter in the event an air alert is announced.”

Russia pounded Ukraine’s power grid with 120 missiles and 90 drones on Sunday, causing damage to the power system and killing seven people in an attack that renewed fears about the sustainability of the hobbled energy grid.

The embassy in kyiv urged U.S. citizens in Ukraine to have supplies of water, food and other essentials such as medicines needed in the event of a “possible temporary loss of electricity and water.” » caused by Russian strikes.

“Continued Russian attacks targeting civilian infrastructure across Ukraine could lead to power outages, loss of heat and disruption of municipal services,” he said.

Andriy Kovalenko, head of the Center for Combating Disinformation at the Ukrainian Security Council, said Russia was ready to carry out more airstrikes, commenting on the US statement.

“Let me remind you that the Russians have been stockpiling missiles for months for a series of attacks against Ukraine. This includes Kh-101 missiles, which they continue to produce, as well as Kalibr and ballistic missiles ” he said.

Russia had warned the West for months that if Washington allowed Ukraine to fire American, British and French missiles deep into Russia, Moscow would view those NATO members as directly involved in the war in Ukraine.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said in October that Moscow was studying different ways to respond if Washington approves Ukrainian strikes with U.S.-made weapons deep in Russia.

On Tuesday, Putin lowered the threshold for a nuclear strike in response to a broader range of conventional attacks, with nuclear risks rising amid the highest tensions between Russia and the West in more than half a year. century. REUTERS