The missions include those of Germany, Italy, Spain, France, Sweden, Belgium, Austria, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Slovakia, Slovenia, Finland and Albania, according to The Moscow Times.
The statements say diplomats view with concern the Russian Foreign Ministry's threats against diplomats and foreign nationals in Ukraine. They note that Russia is obliged to observe the Vienna Convention and the norms of international humanitarian law. A photograph of one of the Kyiv bridges that the Russian army has been attacking for the past several days is attached to the embassy posts.
EU Ambassador to Ukraine Kateryna Maternova said the European Union delegation is staying in Kyiv. According to her, the threats will not stop Europe's support for Ukraine.
The Polish embassy said it would not change its working hours because of the Russian threats and promised to step up pressure on the Kremlin together with its allies. Estonia's Foreign Ministry said the threats from Russia have no effect on it.
The day before, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz traveled to Kyiv and announced a new aid package for Ukraine.
The Russian Foreign Ministry had earlier urged foreign nationals, including staff of diplomatic missions, to refrain from traveling to Ukraine. The ministry said new mass strikes would be carried out on Kyiv and assigned responsibility for possible negative consequences to those who ignore the warning. Moscow issued a similar warning in May.
The Guardian previously reported, citing two diplomats, that Western embassies were discussing the possibility of relocating to Lviv or eastern Poland if Russia began deliberately attacking foreign missions. Ukraine's Foreign Ministry said Kyiv had received no notifications from foreign diplomatic missions about intentions to move out of the capital.
President Volodymyr Zelensky told Reuters in an interview that the Ukrainian Armed Forces will step up attacks on Russian oil refineries in response to the escalation of strikes on Ukraine, aimed at forcing residents of Kyiv and other cities to leave.