In a recent forum appearance in Sochi, Russian President Putin declared that providing US long-range Tomahawk missiles to Ukrainian forces would trigger a "completely new stage of military escalation" between Moscow and Washington. He asserted that such a move would not alter the current situation on the battlefield, where Moscow's army are achieving slow but steady advances.
American Missile Supply Proposals Face Logistical Challenges
As per reports, the US government's interest in delivering Tomahawk missiles to Kyiv may not be viable due to existing inventory commitments to the American naval forces and other uses. Officials suggested that the US might explore allowing European allies to purchase alternative long-range weapons for transfer to Ukraine, but Tomahawks were unlikely. The official doubted the workability of providing cruise missiles with a range of 2,500km, proposing shorter-distance options instead.
American Reconnaissance Support for Ukraine Reportedly Grows
Several news sources have claimed that the United States will offer Ukrainian forces with intelligence on energy facilities deep inside Russian territory. Such a move would represent a significant shift in US administration support for Kyiv. This policy adjustment would mark the initial example of a policy alteration under the Trump administration following his recent online remarks suggesting that Ukraine could reclaim all seized land from Russia.
Ukrainian President Warns European Nations of Moscow's Escalation
Ukraine's president has warned the continent's officials that latest unmanned aerial vehicle intrusions demonstrate Russia is seeking to "escalate" its aggression. Addressing attendees at a high-level meeting of 45 European leaders in Copenhagen, Zelenskyy asserted that Russia aims to "weaken the Western nations and Europe". His warning came following unexplained UAV observations in Denmark and high-profile aerial incursions by Russian forces in Baltic states and Poland, increasing concerns that the conflict could spill over the country's frontiers. Zelenskyy noted that Kyiv was prepared to provide its war-honed expertise to assist in combating the threat. "If the Russians dare to launch unmanned aircraft against Poland, or violate the territorial skies of northern European countries, it signifies this can happen anywhere," he stressed.
Russian Leader Vows Countermeasures Against Europe's "Militarisation"
Vladimir Putin promised to swiftly retaliate against Europe's "growing military expansion" while rejecting Western apprehensions that Moscow intends to attack Nato as "nonsense". In his address in Sochi, Putin said, "We are closely monitoring the escalating militarisation of European countries … It is impossible to disregard what is occurring. We are obligated to do so for reasons of our own national security." Putin continued, "In my view everyone understands that Russia's countermeasures will not be long in coming."
Russian Dissident Politician Faces Charges
The deputy leader of the Russian liberal Yabloko party, which opposes the conflict with Ukraine, has been charged with spreading lies about the Russian army and might receive up to 10 years in jail if found guilty. Maxim Kruglov, 38 ex-parliamentarian in the capital's council, told a Russian judicial hearing from a secure enclosure that the accusation against him was "ridiculous" and that he presented no threat to society. A lawyer for Kruglov said that her client had been charged over two posts on Telegram in 2022 and that he had been harshly interrogated in the middle of the night and had his residence inspected.
Ukrainian Power Restoration Efforts Underway
Emergency crews were slowly reinstating power to regions of northern Ukraine cut off from the grid by Moscow's strikes, the government's head said late on Thursday. Power had been fully restored in two areas of the border Sumy region hit by nocturnal assaults, Yulia Svyrydenko said on Telegram. Restoration work were also advancing in the neighbouring Chernihiv region, where more than 300,000 consumers had been deprived of electricity.
Russia and Kyiv Exchange Prisoners of War
Russia and Ukraine exchanged hundreds of detainees on Thursday. The Ukrainian president said that 185 military personal – the majority had been in detention since 2022 – and 20 civilians were returned home. Moscow's military department said that 185 Russian troops and 20 civilians were released. From the start of the conflict, more than 7,000 Ukrainians had returned, the president noted on the platform.
