THE United States government has reopened its embassy in Kyiv more than three months after shutting down operations ahead of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

“Today we are officially resuming operations at the US Embassy in Kyiv,” Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Wednesday and applauded Ukraine for fighting off Moscow’s drive at the capital, which he said ensured the reopening of the embassy.

“The Ukrainian people, with our security assistance, have defended their homeland in the face of Russia’s unconscionable invasion, and, as a result, the Stars and Stripes are flying over the Embassy once again.

“We stand proudly with, and continue to support, the government and people of Ukraine as they defend their country from the Kremlin’s brutal war of aggression,” Blinken said.

Ahead of Russia’s invasion, the US and many other countries pulled diplomats and evacuated embassies and consulates from Kyiv to the western city of Lviv.

The State Department moved its diplomats to Poland and suspended all diplomatic services in Lviv just before the invasion began.

Last month, after Russia shifted its aims in Ukraine away from Kyiv to focus on eastern Ukraine, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky urged countries to reestablish a diplomatic presence in the country.

Many other countries have already re-opened their embassies in Kyiv, and there had been calls for the US to follow suit.

In late April, during a visit to Kyiv, Blinken announced that the US would return diplomats to Ukraine, and they began making day trips into Lviv.

Acting US Ambassador to Ukraine Kristina Kvien and a group of US diplomats also traveled to the US embassy last week for the first time since it was closed.