Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov telephoned US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Monday to inform him that Russian forces are beginning systematic strikes on sites in Kyiv used by the Ukrainian military and on "decision-making centers" in the Ukrainian capital, according to statements from both the Russian foreign ministry and a report by the South China Morning Post. Lavrov, acting on the instructions of President Vladimir Putin, also urged Washington to evacuate its diplomats and citizens from Kyiv, the sources said.

Coverage Comparison

Two TASS dispatches and a South China Morning Post report cover the call, giving overlapping but distinct accounts. The TASS articles, carrying the official Russian Foreign Ministry statement, say Lavrov called Rubio to report on the strikes, to berate "high-handed efforts" of European elites that are "undermining" previously reached agreements, and to discuss Cuba and the Strait of Hormuz. The South China Morning Post, citing the same ministry statement, additionally notes that Russia has bombed Ukrainian cities regularly since 2022 and provides more context on the backdrop: Sunday's massive Ukrainian drone and missile attack that preceded the new strikes, which Moscow calls retaliation for a recent Ukrainian drone strike on a college in Luhansk.

Differences appear in the topics covered. TASS lists Cuba and the Strait of Hormuz, while the South China Morning Post, quoting a US State Department spokesman, says the two "exchanged views on the Russia-Ukraine war, bilateral relations, and the situation in Iran." Nothing in the extracts indicates a contradiction, but each source appears to highlight a different region.

Key Claims

  • Evacuation advice and warning of strikes. As reported by both TASS and the South China Morning Post, Lavrov informed Rubio that Russia would launch "systematic and consistent" attacks against military sites and "corresponding decision-making centers" in Kyiv, and he called for the evacuation of US diplomatic staff and citizens. The South China Morning Post characterizes this as indicating Russia "plans to continue heavy strikes on the Ukrainian capital."
  • Attribution of Russia's operations. Moscow, per both TASS and the SCMP, portrays the coming strikes as a response to Kyiv's continuous strikes on Russian territory, including against civilian infrastructure. The SCMP additionally highlights that Russia has bombed Ukrainian cities since 2022 and that the current campaign follows a Ukrainian drone attack on Luhansk that Moscow claims killed 21 students. Ukraine's general staff repudiated the claim that civilian structures had been hit, according to the SCMP.
  • Discussion topics besides Ukraine. TASS states that Lavrov and Rubio also discussed the situation around Cuba and inland the Strait of Hormuz. The SCMP, citing US spokesman Tommy Pigotz, writes that the two discussed the situation in Iran. Also, TASS says Lavrov recalled the August 2025 Anchorage agreements that "paved the way for a sustainable settlement."
  • Role of the US response. Neither TASS nor the SCMP reports any direct US reaction to the Moscow announcement. The SCMP quotes the State Department only on the general conversation. TASS, from the Russian foreign ministry, says Rubio "assured" Lavrov that Washington is willing to play a "helpful role" on Ukraine.

Perspectives

Russian official position focuses on the operation being a calibrated response to Ukrainian actions, and stresses that Washington is viewed as potentially useful in advancing a settlement—if the Ukrainian side would align with prior U.S.-Russia agreements.

US State Department view (as reported by SCMP) is minimal: the two spoke at Lavrov’s request, exchanged views on the war, bilateral relations, and Iran, and nothing more was disclosed.

Independent reporting (SCMP) adds details on the strike context and the ongoing humanitarian dimension—including the direct and vivid illustration of the consequences for American citizens in the capital. It also stresses that such attacks are routine since 2022.

The article is based on a single storyline but from two distinct sources, both official and thus prone to gendered framing.