Western countries prepare backup plans to move embassies from Kyiv

Some Western countries have begun developing backup plans to relocate their embassies from Kyiv to Lviv or to eastern Poland in case Russia switches to targeted attacks on foreign diplomatic missions in the Ukrainian capital.

The Guardian reports this, citing two senior Western diplomats working in Kyiv.

However, this does not mean a decision has been made to evacuate diplomatic missions from the Ukrainian capital. Publicly, Western diplomats state that they intend to remain in Kyiv, since leaving could be seen as weakening support for Ukraine and used by Russia for propaganda purposes.

But sources told the newspaper that contingency scenarios are already being prepared in case of a sharp deterioration of the situation. They envisage the relocation of embassy operations to Lviv or to eastern areas of Poland if there are signs that Russian forces are deliberately targeting foreign diplomatic facilities. The Guardian does not name the countries that are developing such plans.

One Western diplomat described the situation in Kyiv as rapidly deteriorating. The newspaper links the concerns of foreign missions to the intensification of Russian strikes on the capital, which in recent days have affected energy infrastructure, schools, medical facilities, data centers and transport facilities.

An additional cause for concern has been earlier threats by Moscow against foreign diplomats. In spring, Russian authorities urged employees of foreign missions to leave Kyiv amid another escalation of strikes on the city.

European countries then refused to withdraw their diplomats. Germany's Foreign Ministry said in late May that European missions did not plan to leave Kyiv and were closely monitoring the security situation.

In June, EU Ambassador to Ukraine Katarína Mathernová also publicly rejected Moscow's demands to leave the capital. She said the EU delegation would remain in Kyiv despite Russian threats against diplomats and foreign citizens.

The current contingency plans have emerged amid a new series of Russian attacks on Kyiv. According to The Guardian, Western diplomats fear that Moscow may try to increase pressure on the capital in winter, particularly through strikes on energy and other critical infrastructure.

Thus, Western embassies continue to operate in Kyiv for now, and the discussed relocation to Lviv or Poland is considered exclusively as an emergency scenario in case of a direct threat to diplomatic missions.

Based on materials from: The Guardian, Germany's Foreign Ministry, EU Delegation to Ukraine