A Russian attack on the city of kyiv this Friday caused “relatively minor” material damage in the embassies of at least six countrieslike Portugal, Argentina, Albania and Montenegroreported the Portuguese Foreign Minister, Paulo Rangelwho announced the presentation of a “formal protest” a Russian.
Rangel specified in statements to journalists in Cascais (Lisbon metropolitan area) that They have no record of injuries on the team of the Portuguese embassy in kyiv, which is in the same building as those of Argentina, Albania and Montenegro.
“This is highly condemnable. Any attack by Russia on Ukraine and the city of kyiv deserves our strongest condemnation“But it is absolutely unacceptable that there could be attacks that have an impact or affect diplomatic facilities,” defended Rangel, who said that they have summoned the Charge d’Affaires of the Russian embassy in Lisbon to present a “formal protest.”
According to the ministry, in total these are the representations of Albania, Argentina, North Macedonia, Palestine, Portugal and Montenegro.
The president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyendenounced a “hateful attack.”
“Another atrocious attack on kyiv. This time against a building that houses the Portuguese embassy and other diplomatic services,” Von der Leyen said in X.
For its part, the Portuguese government “vehemently” condemned the attacks and summoned the Russian chargé d’affaires in Portugal.
The Portuguese chancellor, Paulo Rangeltold the media that several diplomatic missions are installed “in the same building” hit by the explosion.
Earlier in another Russian ballistic missile attack on kyiv in the early morning, at least one dead and 12 injured, according to officials. Moscow claimed that the operation was in response to a Ukrainian attack on Russian territory with weapons manufactured in the United States.
At least three loud explosions were heard in kyiv shortly before dawn. Ukrainian air force intercepted five short-range ballistic missiles Iskander launched against the city. The missile debris caused damage and fires in three districts, the city administration said. The attack left 630 residential buildings, 16 medical facilities and 30 schools and kindergartens without heat, he added.
“We ask citizens to respond immediately to reports of threats of ballistic attacks, because there is very little time to find shelter.”said the air force.
In the nearly three years since the war began, Russia has regularly bombed Ukrainian civilian areas, often in an attempt to cripple the power grid and demoralize Ukrainians. Meanwhile, Ukraine, struggling to contain the larger Russian military on the front lines, has attempted to attack Russian infrastructure supporting the Kremlin’s war effort.
In kyiv, missile debris landed in the city center, causing damage to around two dozen high-rise office buildings as well as the Catholic church in Kiev. Saint Nicholasa prominent monument of the capital, and at the kyiv National Linguistic University.
What may have been the blast wave from a missile intercepted at low altitude also broke windows or caused other damage at six embassies, the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry said.
Russia’s Defense Ministry said the attack was in response to a missile attack launched by Ukrainian forces two days ago in the Rostov border region. In that operation, six projectiles from the US Army Tactical Missile Systemknown as ATACMSand four Storm Shadow air-dropped and provided by the United Kingdom, it reported.
That day, Ukraine claimed to have attacked an oil refinery in Rostov as part of its campaign to hit Russian infrastructure supporting the country’s war effort.
The use of Western-supplied weapons for attacks on Russian soil has angered the Kremlin. Ukraine fired several long-range missiles delivered by the United States at Russia for the first time on November 19, after Washington eased restrictions on its use.
This led Moscow to use a new hypersonic missile, called Oreshnikfor the first time. Russian President Vladimir Putin suggested the missile could be used to attack government buildings in kyiv, although there have been no reports of it being used again.
In response to Wednesday’s Ukrainian operation in Rostov, the Russian ministry explained that it carried out a group attack with “high-precision long-range weapons” on the command center of Ukraine’s military intelligence agency and another location where, according to indicated, Ukrainian Neptune missile systems are designed and produced.
The attack also targeted Ukrainian land-based cruise missile systems and air defense systems Patriotmade in the United States. he added.
“The objectives of the attack have been achieved. “All objects have been hit,” the Ministry of Defense stated on Telegram.
(With information from AFP and AP)
