Close X
Tuesday, January 14, 2025
ADVT 
National

Canada, U.S. close embassies to public in Ukraine due to threat of Russian strikes

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 20 Nov, 2024 10:40 AM
  • Canada, U.S. close embassies to public in Ukraine due to threat of Russian strikes

The Canadian and American embassies in Ukraine are closed to the public today after the U.S. warned of a "potential significant air attack" by Russia in Kyiv. 

Ukraine's intelligence agency posted a statement today accusing Russia of spreading fake messages about the threat of an "extremely massive" attack on Ukrainian cities and urging people not to panic. 

A message from the U.S. Embassy in Kyiv says it received specific information about a possible attack and out of an abundance of caution, employees are sheltering in place. 

Global Affairs Canada's website says in-person services at the Canadian Embassy are temporarily suspended. 

Ukraine used U.S.-supplied missiles to strike inside Russia for the first time this week, a move the Kremlin says adds "fuel to the fire" of the war. 

U.S. President Joe Biden gave the green light for Kyiv to strike Russian targets and to use antipersonnel landmines, as part of a larger effort to bolster Ukraine's defence before Donald Trump takes over the White House in January. 

Trump and his allies have been critical of American funding for Ukraine, stoking fears the president-elect could cut off supplies to the embattled country.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau told reporters this week that he has long called for allies to give Ukraine permission to strike Russian military targets. 

"I have, for months now, talked about how important it is to degrade the capacity of the Russian military to strike into Ukraine with impunity because Ukraine hasn't been able to strike on factories and military production sites in Russia," he said in a press conference in Rio de Janeiro on Tuesday.

Trudeau and Biden discussed Ukraine in a bilateral meeting this week at the G20 leaders' summit. 

Trudeau was critical of the G20's final statement, saying it was not strong enough in its support of Ukraine. Russia is a member of the G20 and this year's statement from the leaders did not mention Russia at all.

The BBC reported Wednesday morning that missiles supplied by the U.K. have also been used inside Russia for the first time since the conflict began more than 1,000 days ago.

The Biden administration's move is being seen as an escalation in Moscow. 

Asked Tuesday whether a Ukrainian attack with longer-range U.S. missiles could potentially trigger the use of nuclear weapons, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov answered affirmatively.

MORE National ARTICLES

B.C.'s 'massive error' part of web of inaction that could have saved boy: advocate

B.C.'s 'massive error' part of web of inaction that could have saved boy: advocate
Jennifer Charlesworth says the boy's death is not an outlier, but rather an example of ways the child welfare system has let down children and families in B.C. and across Canada, despite decades of reports making hundreds of recommendations for change.

B.C.'s 'massive error' part of web of inaction that could have saved boy: advocate

Firefighting crews from Australia and New Zealand on the way to help B.C. fire fight

Firefighting crews from Australia and New Zealand on the way to help B.C. fire fight
The BC Wildfire Service said on social media that the international personnel are expected to arrive on Friday, as hot, dry conditions persist in the province and the number of active wildfires hovers around 150. It said the two 15-person incident management teams will then be briefed and given their first assignments. 

Firefighting crews from Australia and New Zealand on the way to help B.C. fire fight

B.C. government is testing out AI tools for rapid disease diagnosis

B.C. government is testing out AI tools for rapid disease diagnosis
Provincial labs in B.C. are testing out artificial intelligence for more rapid disease diagnosis, including cancer. The province says in a statement that the new digital tools will allow researchers to “securely share high-quality images” in other B.C. locations, helping them to perform a faster diagnoses or get a second opinion. 

B.C. government is testing out AI tools for rapid disease diagnosis

Beach art mischief

Beach art mischief
Mounties in West Shore say a man has been arrested after setting fire to the mammoth statue at Royal Bay Beach.  Police say they responded to a call Monday at 7 a-m after a man who experienced a mental health crisis started a fire at the Esquimalt Lagoon.

Beach art mischief

Knife attack in Nanaimo by a man wearing a bra on his head

Knife attack in Nanaimo by a man wearing a bra on his head
R-C-M-P say the attacker swung the knives at the man, attempting to stab him, but the large dog lunged and bit him before the dog's owner used his martial arts training to incapacitate the other man and take control of the knives.

Knife attack in Nanaimo by a man wearing a bra on his head

Fatal shooting in Winnipeg followed soccer game, police say it was not random

Fatal shooting in Winnipeg followed soccer game, police say it was not random
Winnipeg police are investigating a shooting in the parking lot of a soccer complex that left a 22-year-old man dead. Police say they were called to the scene late Saturday night, after the final game of the Canada African Cup of Nations soccer tournament, and found a man with gunshot wounds.

Fatal shooting in Winnipeg followed soccer game, police say it was not random