MOSCOW, Dec 22, 2024 (BSS/TASS) - Damage to the building of Portugal's Embassy in Kiev has been caused by Ukrainian air defense systems while accusations directed at Moscow distort the facts, the Russian Embassy in Portugal said.

"We noted that Portuguese media outlets of all kinds have been actively spreading reports of damage caused to the Portuguese Embassy in Kiev as a result of a strike by the Russian Armed Forces on the city's military facilities on December 20. Reporters are ramping up Russophobia, distorting the facts when writing on this matter," the embassy noted.

"Damage to the building where the Portuguese diplomatic mission is located was caused by Ukrainian air defense systems which have proved their 'efficiency' time and again," the diplomats pointed out.

The Russian diplomatic mission stressed that the Kiev regime is deliberately placing military facilities and decision-making centers, as well as air defense systems, in urban areas, using civilians as a human shield.

The embassy noted that the Russian Armed Forces are exclusively targeting military facilities and military industrial infrastructure.