The European Union and Germany summoned Russian diplomats on Tuesday to protest Sunday's bombardment of Kyiv and Moscow's call for foreign diplomats to leave the city for their own safety. The UN Secretary-General also rebuked Russia during a session on proliferating conflicts worldwide.

Sunday's attack was one of the largest bombardments of Kyiv in the four-year Russian invasion. On Monday, the Kremlin announced plans for more such attacks, "systematically" targeting what it said were defense companies and other military targets in the city.

Germany's Foreign Ministry said it summoned Russia's ambassador and made clear "that we will not be intimidated by threats and will continue to support Ukraine wholeheartedly." The ministry listed some of the sites struck on Sunday: "Attacks on hospitals, schools and TV studios, calling on our embassy staff to leave Kyiv. Russia is doubling down on terror, threats and escalation."

The spokeswoman for EU foreign affairs chief Kaja Kallas, Anitta Hipper, said Russia's charge d'affaires was also called in in Brussels on Tuesday. "Russia's threat to foreign citizens and diplomats to leave Kyiv is an unacceptable escalation," she wrote. The EU delegation will not vacate its Kyiv offices.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres criticized Russia at the opening of a special General Assembly session in New York. He said violence was expanding "in scale and complexity" and expressed deep concern over "the recent announcement by the Russian Federation to launch consistent and systemic strikes against Ukrainian defense enterprises in Kyiv, as well as against decision-making centers and command posts."

Ukrainian Ambassador Andriy Melnyk read a joint statement from 50 countries condemning Russia's attacks on Kyiv. "We also condemn recent threats by Russia to diplomatic institutions and embassies in Kyiv," the statement said. Russian Ambassador Vasily Nebenzya argued that Western nations were showing "contempt" for the UN charter.

Source: www.dw.com