MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Argentine Embassy in Kyiv hit by Russian shelling

No staffers of the diplomatic missions were harmed despite the material damage

Argentina's Embassy was among the six diplomatic missions hit Friday when Russia bombed Kyiv. The others were those of Albania, North Macedonia, Palestine, Portugal, and Montenegro. Besides the “relatively light” material damage, all staffers of the South American legation were reported to be unharmed.

Buenos Aires strongly condemned the attack: “The Argentine Republic strongly condemns the attack of the Russian Federation that took place today, December 20, against the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv, which caused material damage to the Embassy of our country and other diplomatic representations in that capital. We extend our solidarity to the victims and their families,” the Argentine Government also said in a statement from the Palacio San Martín.

“This attack constitutes a serious violation of international law, which guarantees the inviolability of diplomatic missions. We strongly condemn any act that endangers the safety of diplomatic personnel and the civilian population, and urge an immediate cessation of hostilities and respect for international norms,” the document went on.

“There was a very intense attack by the Russian Federation on the city of Kyiv, and one of the explosions caused relatively light material damage to the diplomatic facilities of several countries, including the chancery of the Portuguese embassy,” Portuguese Foreign Minister Paulo Rangel said.

“It is absolutely unacceptable for attacks to damage or target diplomatic facilities”, he added. “For the time being, this is the position that the Portuguese Republic must take with the Russian Federation. Other steps will be taken at another level a little later,” he went on.

Rangel also mentioned that his country would be filing a formal protest to Moscow. The Portuguese mission is in the same building as those of Argentina, Albania, and Montenegro.

“This is highly condemnable. Any attack by Russia on Ukraine and the city of Kyiv deserves our strongest condemnation,” Rangel also pointed out while stating that Russia's Chargé d'Affaires in Lisbon had been summoned after the incident.

“Another heinous attack against Kyiv. This time against a building housing the Portuguese embassy and other diplomatic services,” European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen wrote on X.

At least one dead and 12 wounded were reported earlier Friday as a result of a Russian attack on the Ukrainian capital, which Moscow claimed was in response to the use of US-made weaponry against its territory. The Ukrainian Air Force said it intercepted five Iskander short-range ballistic missiles but the debris caused damage and fires in three districts. Some 630 residential buildings, 16 medical facilities, and 30 schools and kindergartens were left without heating.