The US embassy in Kyiv has temporarily closed due to a potential air attack threat, as confirmed by the US Department of State Consular Affairs. In a statement, the department emphasized that the embassy will remain closed "out of an abundance of caution," with embassy staff instructed to shelter in place.

The embassy also advised US citizens in Ukraine to be prepared for immediate sheltering if an air alert is issued. This precaution follows escalating tensions between Ukraine and Russia, particularly after Ukraine’s use of US-supplied ATACMS missiles against Russian territory. This missile strike was authorized by the outgoing administration of US President Joe Biden on the 1,000th day of the war.

Russia had warned the West for months about the potential consequences of allowing Ukraine to launch missiles into Russian territory, with President Vladimir Putin indicating that such actions would be considered as direct involvement by NATO members. In response, Russia has escalated its nuclear rhetoric, with Putin lowering the threshold for nuclear strikes in the event of attacks on Russian territory.

Russia's Foreign Minister, Sergei Lavrov, criticized the West for "escalating" the conflict, stating that the use of US-made weapons in Ukraine’s strikes marked a "qualitatively new phase" of the war. Lavrov emphasized that Russia would respond accordingly.

Meanwhile, Russia reported shooting down 50 Ukrainian drones in recent days, with the majority intercepted over the Novgorod region. Other drones were shot down in regions such as Kursk, Belgorod, and the Moscow region. No casualties were reported from these interceptions.

In a significant shift, President Putin signed a decree lowering the threshold for using nuclear weapons in response to "massive" conventional attacks. This move has been condemned by the US, UK, and European Union as "irresponsible." The decree also allows for nuclear retaliation if Ukraine, a non-nuclear state, is attacked with the support of nuclear powers.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has continued to urge the international community to take stronger action against Russia’s nuclear threats. He warned that Ukraine could lose the war if military funding from the US is cut, a concern raised by US president-elect Donald Trump, who has been critical of the financial aid to Ukraine.

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