MOSCOW, May 25 (Xinhua) -- Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov informed U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio during a phone call on Monday that Russia was launching systematic strikes on facilities in Kiev used by the Ukrainian military, the Russian Foreign Ministry said.
According to the ministry, Lavrov conveyed the message on the instructions of Russian President Vladimir Putin, saying the strikes were a response to alleged Ukrainian attacks against civilians and civilian infrastructure on Russian territory.
Lavrov also noted an earlier foreign ministry statement, recommending that the United States, along with foreign diplomatic missions, ensure the evacuation of diplomatic personnel and other citizens from the Ukrainian capital.
The two sides exchanged views on diplomatic initiatives related to the Strait of Hormuz and the situation surrounding Cuba, the ministry said.
Lavrov and Rubio also reaffirmed their intention to intensify efforts to normalize the operation of U.S. and Russian diplomatic missions on each other's territories despite existing disagreements, according to the statement. ■
