Ukraine war: Cities curb Independence Day events as US warns of intensified Russian attacks

euronews.com:

Ukrainian cities have begun imposing curbs on events linked to the country's Independence Day on Wednesday, amid fears of intensified Russian attacks.

The anniversary commemorates freedom from Soviet rule and also marks half a year since the Russian invasion.

The US State Department issued a security alert on Monday warning that Russia is stepping up efforts to launch strikes against civilian and government targets in Ukraine in the coming days.

American citizens still in Ukraine have been urged to leave the country immediately by the US Embassy in Kyiv.

The alert came after the US intelligence community declassified a finding on Monday, saying that Russia would increasingly target Ukrainian civilian infrastructure.

Kyiv has banned public events related to the occasion from Monday to Thursday. There are fears of renewed Russian rocket attacks on the capital, even though it lies far from the front lines and has only rarely been hit since Ukraine repelled a ground offensive in March.

In Kharkiv, the northeastern city that has come under frequent and deadly longer-range artillery and rocket fire, Mayor Ihor Terekhov announced an extension to an overnight curfew to run from 4 pm to 7 am effective from Tuesday to Thursday.

Curbs on events have also been imposed in the port of Mykolaiv, near Russian-held territory to the south. Regional governor Vitaliy Kim said there were plans for residents to be ordered to work from home on Tuesday and Wednesday, urging people not to gather in large groups.

Fears of attacks have mounted after Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) accused Ukrainian agents on Monday of killing Daria Dugina, daughter of a Russian ultra-nationalist ideologue, in a car bomb attack near Moscow. Ukraine denies