Ukraine-Russia war latest: Moscow threatens to ‘melt’ Kyiv as it quadruples forces for Kursk counterattack
No final decision was made during talks between Starmer and Biden on the use of British Storm Shadow missiles by Ukraine
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Former Russian president Dmitry Medvedev has said Russia could destroy Kyiv in response to the use of Western long-range missiles by Ukraine.
Mr Medvedev said Moscow already had formal grounds to use nuclear weapons since Ukraine‘s incursion into Russia’s Kursk region, but could instead use some new weapon technologies to reduce Kyiv to “a giant melted spot” when its patience runs out.
“And that would be it. A giant, grey, melted spot instead of ‘the mother of Russian cities’,” he wrote on the Telegram messaging app, referring to Kyiv.
It comes as Russia appears to have quadrupled its forces in the Kursk region in time for a counteroffensive aimed at regaining territory lost during the last six weeks of fighting.
Ukrainian forces stormed over the border and into the Russian region at the start of last month, capturing hundreds of square miles.
After Russia launched a counterattack this week, Vadym Mysnyk, a spokesperson for Ukraine’s Operational Command “Siversk”, told Ukrainian TV that Moscow had bolstered its forces from 11,000 at the time of the Ukrainian incursion to up to 45,000 this week.
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ICYMI: Starmer-Biden talks end with no decision on missiles hitting Russia
UK prime minister Sir Keir Starmer and Joe Biden did not announce any decision on allowing Ukraine to use long-range weapons inside Russia following their talks in Washington.
Sir Kier said the two leaders had “a long and productive discussion on a number of fronts, including Ukraine, as you would expect, the Middle East and the Indo-Pacific” after he was asked about the outcome.
“This wasn’t a meeting about a particular capability. That wasn’t why we got our heads down today.
“It was to allow ourselves the space, which we took, the time, which we took, to have a strategic discussion so that tactical decisions could be seen within the wider strategy.”
How would long-range missiles help Ukraine?
Ukraine sees the ability to use long-range missiles behind enemy lines as a game-changer, allowing it to target air bases, supply depots, and communication centers hundreds of miles over the border.
It argues that this would help reduce Russia’s air superiority and weaken supply lines needed to launch daily airstrikes against Ukraine - with drones, missiles, and powerful glide bombs - and to sustain its military ground offensive into Ukraine.
With winter likely to slow that advance, long-range air strike capabilities will become a higher priority. Kyiv wants to go back on the offensive to offset military manpower shortages 2 years into the war and to protect its badly-damaged power infrastructure.
Iran responds to sanctions for supplying Russia with ballistic missiles, state media reports
Iran’s foreign minister said that Tehran was open to diplomacy to solve disputes but not “threats and pressure”, after the US and three European powers imposed sanctions against the country’s aviation sector.
Abbas Araqchi’s comments come a day after The European Union’s chief diplomat said the bloc is considering new sanctions targeting Iran’s aviation sector, in reaction to reports Tehran supplied Russia with ballistic missiles in its war against Ukraine.
“Iran continues on its own path with strength, although we have always been open to talks to resolve disputes ... but dialogue should be based on mutual respect, not on threats and pressure,” Araqchi said, according to the official news agency IRNA.
Araqchi said on Wednesday that Tehran had not delivered any ballistic missiles to Russia and sanctions imposed on Iran by the United States and three European powers would not solve any problems between them.
The United States, Germany, Britain and France on Tuesday imposed new sanctions on Iran, including measures against its national airline Iran Air.
‘Tug of war’ talks over long-range missiles helping Putin’s war on Ukraine, warns former defence secretary
‘Tug of war’ talks over missiles helping Putin, warns former defence secretary
Starmer said the UK and US have come to a ‘strong position’ in their quest for a resolution in Ukraine - but it appears no final decision has been made on the use of Storm Shadow missiles by Ukraine
Watch: Ukraine prisoners of war reunited with families after Russia exchange
US historian leads charity run in Kyiv to highlight the plight of Ukrainian POWs
US historian leads charity run in Kyiv to highlight the plight of Ukrainian POWs
U.S. historian and author Timothy Snyder has led a charity run in Kyiv to raise awareness of the conditions under which Ukrainian prisoners of war are held in Russia as the conflict approaches a third winter
UAE mediates exchange of 206 prisoners between Russia and Ukraine, state news agency says
The United Arab Emirates mediated an exchange of 206 prisoners between Russia and Ukraine, Emirati state news agency WAM said on Saturday, noting it was the country’s eighth such mediation.
Russia launches a new drones barrage on Ukraine and Kyiv downs 72
Russia launched a new overnight drone attack on Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities on Saturday, prompting President Volodymyr Zelenskiy to issue a fresh appeal for more air defence and long-range capabilities.
Ukrainian air defences shot down 72 out of 76 Shahed drones over 12 regions in the centre, south and east of the country, the air force said.
“We need more capabilities to strengthen the air shield, air defence, and long-range capabilities to continue protecting life and our people,” Zelenskiy, who is due to travel to the United States later this month, said on the Telegram messaging app.
There were no immediate reports of casualties but authorities described damage to buildings in several parts of the country.
Russian official says West has made up its mind on long-range strikes, reports
Moscow knows that the West has made a decision on whether to allow Ukraine to attack Russia with long-range missiles and has informed Kyiv, the TASS news agency reported citing Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov.
Ryabkov did not clarify what the purported decision was, but said that since Moscow’s verbal warnings to the West against further escalation have not worked, Russia would need to switch to sending signals in different ways.
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