Russia likely to intensify attacks as Ukraine marks 6 mths of war

Zelensky Vows Tough Response; Kyiv Bans I-Day Events; US Tells Citizens To Leave

With Ukraine set to mark both its independence from Soviet rule in 1991 and six months since Russian forces invaded, President Zelensky vowed that any Russian attacks in or around the date would provoke a powerful response. Zelensky, who has led his country's resistance since Russian troops poured over the border on February 24, also said Ukraine would restore its rule over the Crimea region-annexed by Russia in 2014 in a precursor to this year's invasion.

Despite his defiance, there was concern among Ukrainian and allied Western officials that Russia was preparing to attack the capital Kyiv once again. US intelligence agencies said that Russia is likely to increase its efforts to attack civilian infrastructure and government buildings in Ukraine. The US government declassified an intelligence warning on Monday to ensure that the officials' concerns about the threat reached a broad audience. The US embassy in Kyiv then issued a security alert and once more urged American citizens to leave Ukraine.