Forbes: Western Countries Could Strike Russia Under One Condition
- 6.11.2026, 16:25
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Pursuant to Article 51 of the UN Charter.
A massive attack by Russia, the aggressor nation, on a foreign embassy in Ukraine could be classified as an armed attack on the state to which the mission belongs. According to Article 51 of the UN Charter, this grants the right to self-defense, including collective self-defense, up to and including retaliatory strikes on Russian territory. Against the backdrop of rising tensions between Russia and Europe, this assessment was provided by Christian Marksen , an expert at the Max Planck Institute for Comparative Public Law and International Law , in a commentary Forbes.
The publication notes that the Kremlin warned foreign diplomats in Kyiv of a “deadly danger,” and the Russian Foreign Ministry urged ambassadors to immediately leave the Ukrainian capital, otherwise they risked being caught in massive airstrikes. As the Kyiv Post reported, on October 3, the Russian ministry warned foreigners—in particular, accredited diplomats—about the dangers of staying in Kyiv and the risk of “massive retaliatory strikes.”
Marksen notes that embassies are not part of the territory of the state that sent them. At the same time, diplomatic missions are an outward manifestation of the state and perform important functions in international relations; therefore, a sufficiently serious use of force against them could trigger a right to self-defense.
“Embassies are potential targets of an attack that could trigger the right to self-defense,” the expert said.
What Kind of Attack Could Be Recognized as an Armed Attack
At the same time, Marksen emphasized that an armed attack must constitute a very serious violation of the prohibition on the use of force. Several criteria are taken into account when assessing the scale of an attack:
the targets of the strike, specifically their number and location;
the means used for the attack;
the duration of the attack;
the number of casualties and the extent of the destruction.
“An attack of modest scale that directly results in large-scale consequences may constitute an armed attack,” Marksen explained.
A key nuance concerns massive barrages that were successfully repelled. According to the expert, even intercepted missiles or drones do not negate the classification of the attack.
“An attack involving a large number of missiles or drones that the targeted state is capable of intercepting may constitute an armed attack, even if no damage is caused,” he noted.
Can Allies Enter the War on Ukraine’s Side
Marksen pointed out that the UN Charter provides not only for individual but also for collective self-defense. According to him, states could, with Ukraine’s consent, enter into a conflict with Russia.
“Under Article 51 of the UN Charter, there is a right to collective self-defense. Ukraine would be pleased if other states supported its defensive war against Russia,” the expert said.
Forbes also highlighted the European Union’s response to Moscow’s threats. The EU delegation has no intention of leaving Kyiv.
“Russia has a message for foreign diplomats in Kyiv: leave or risk your lives. Our response: we’re staying. The EU delegation is staying,” wrote the EU Ambassador to Ukraine Katarina Maternová on X.
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