Russia has issued a warning that it would take action following Ukraine’s use of longer-range US missiles against its territory for the first time, coinciding with President Vladimir Putin’s nuclear threat on the 1,000th day of the war.
On the 1,000th day post the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov stated that the attack demonstrated Western nations’ intention to “escalate” the conflict.
“We will consider this a qualitatively new phase of the Western war against Russia. Our response will be appropriate,” Mr. Lavrov mentioned during a press conference at the G20 summit in Brazil.
Mr. Putin signed a decree that lowers the threshold for deploying nuclear weapons, a decision criticized by the White House, UK, and European Union as “irresponsible.”
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky criticized G20 leaders in Brazil for their inaction regarding Mr. Putin’s nuclear threats, asserting that the Russian leader was not interested in achieving peace.
He later cautioned that Ukraine would face defeat if the United States reduced military funding.
US President-elect Donald Trump has expressed skepticism about the billions that Joe Biden’s administration has provided to Ukraine since the onset of the Russian invasion in 2022.
“If they cut our funding, I believe we will lose,” Mr. Zelensky stated in an interview with US network Fox News.
“We will continue to fight. We have our own production capabilities, but it’s insufficient for victory,” he added.
Nuclear sabre-rattling
Recently, the US announced that it had granted Ukraine the authority to use ATACMS (US-supplied Army Tactical Missile System) against military targets within Russia, a long-requested capability.
Mr. Lavrov indicated that the 300-kilometre range missiles could not have been launched without US technical support.
Russia has asserted that the use of Western weapons against its internationally recognized territory would make the US a direct participant in the conflict.
A resident observes rescuers clearing debris following Russian missile strikes in Dnipro, eastern Ukraine, on 26 October.
Confirmation of the strike arrived shortly after Mr. Putin enacted a decree permitting Russia to deploy nuclear weapons against non-nuclear states like Ukraine if they are backed by nuclear powers.
The new doctrine also permits a nuclear response from Russia in the event of a “massive” air attack, regardless of whether it involves conventional weapons.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated this was “essential to align our principles with the current situation.”
‘Emboldened Russia’
The 1,000th day of the invasion, which began on February 24, 2022, occurs at a critical moment for Ukrainian forces along the front, particularly near the war-torn cities of Kupiansk and Pokrovsk.
Russia has ramped up strikes on Ukrainian cities recently, targeting city centers and residential areas, resulting in numerous civilian casualties.
A Russian strike in the eastern Ukrainian region of Sumy earlier this week struck a Soviet-era residential building and claimed the lives of at least 12 individuals, including a child, as reported by officials.
Ukrainian forces have gradually lost ground in the Kursk region, where they had seized territory in August, and they have raised alarms about Russia assembling approximately 50,000 troops, including North Korean forces, to reclaim the region.
Civilians pay tribute to Ukrainian fighters on the 1,000th day of the Russian invasion at Independence Square in Kyiv.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz communicated to Chinese President Xi Jinping that the alleged involvement of North Korean soldiers could exacerbate the conflict.
Both Russia and Ukraine have adapted their economies to support their war efforts.
Ukrainian legislators approved the 2025 budget, allocating over $50 billion, or 60 percent of total expenditures, to defense and security.
Read more: EU nations are investigating ‘sabotage’ of Baltic Sea cables
Last month, Russia’s parliament approved a budget that anticipates a nearly 30 percent increase in defense spending for the upcoming year.
NATO chief Mark Rutte emphasized that Mr. Putin must not be allowed to succeed.
“Why is it crucial that Putin does not get his way? Because that would lead to an emboldened Russia at our borders… and I’m firmly convinced it won’t stop there,” Mr. Rutte remarked to reporters in Brussels.
At the United Nations, around 50 member nations reiterated their backing for Ukraine and demanded Russian troop withdrawal from the territory, commemorating the anniversary of the invasion.
Read the latest stories about the war in Ukraine
