US embassy in Ukraine urges it citizens to leave if they can in new security alert

Artillery and rocket fire near the Zaporizhzhia nuclear reactor complex, on the south bank of the Dnipro River, has led to calls for the area to be demilitarised. Several residents living near the plant voiced fears that shells could hit one of the plant's six reactors, with potentially disastrous consequences.

The United States Embassy in Kyiv, has warned of an increased possibility of Russian military strikes on Ukraine in the coming days around Ukrainian independence day, has again urged US citizens to leave if they can.

In an alert on its website, the embassy said, "The Department of State has information that Russia is stepping up efforts to launch strikes against Ukraine's civilian infrastructure and government facilities in the coming days."

"The US Embassy urges US citizens to depart Ukraine now using privately available ground transportation options if it is safe to do so," the alert said, repeating the advice of previous security warnings.

Meanwhile, Kyiv has called for a ban on public celebrations this week commemorating independence from Soviet rule, citing a heightened threat of attack as a US official warned of Russian plans to strike Ukrainian infrastructure in the coming days.

It is reported that Russia allegedly fired rockets into several towns north and west of Europe's largest nuclear power plant, captured by Russian forces shortly after they invaded Ukraine in February.

Artillery and rocket fire near the Zaporizhzhia nuclear reactor complex, on the south bank of the Dnipro River, has led to calls for the area to be demilitarised. Several residents living near the plant voiced fears that shells could hit one of the plant's six reactors, with potentially disastrous consequences.

Other jurisdictions also restricted public gatherings. In Kharkiv, a northeastern city that has come under frequent and deadly longer-range artillery and rocket fire, Mayor Ihor Terekhov announced an extension to an overnight curfew to run from 4 pm to 7 am effective from Tuesday to Thursday.