Closing summary
It’s just past 10pm in Kyiv. Here’s a recap of the latest developments:
Russia’s president, Vladimir Putin, formally lowered the threshold for Russia’s use of its nuclear weapons following the Biden decision to allow Ukraine to strike targets inside Russian territory with US-supplied longer-range weapons.
Russia’s revised nuclear doctrine declares that a conventional attack on Russia by any nation that is supported by a nuclear power will be considered a joint attack on his country. The doctrine also states that an attack using conventional missiles, drones or other aircraft could be seen as justification for a nuclear response.
The Kremlin spokesperson, Dmitry Peskov, appeared to suggest that Russia might respond with nuclear weapons if Ukraine used western-supplied missiles to strike targets inside Russia. The Kremlin said the purpose of the updated nuclear doctrine was to make potential enemies understand the inevitability of retaliation for an attack on Russia or its allies.
The US called on Russia “to stop this bellicose and the irresponsible rhetoric”, but said it has not seen any reason to adjust its nuclear posture. US state department spokesperson Matthew Miller said he was “not surprised” by comments by the Kremlin over the new revised nuclear doctrine.
The UK’s prime minister, Keir Starmer, also accused Russia of being guilty of making “irresponsible rhetoric”. “There’s irresponsible rhetoric coming from Russia, and that is not going to deter our support for Ukraine,” he told reporters at the G20 summit in Brazil. In a direct message to the Russian president, Starmer added: “On day 1,000 of Russia’s illegal war in Ukraine, I say again: ‘End the war. Get out of Ukraine’.”
Ukraine fired US-made long-range missiles into Russia for the first time since the Biden administration lifted restrictions on their use. The target appeared to be an ammunition warehouse. Ukraine’s general staff said it hit a military arsenal of the 1046th logistics centre outside the city of Karachev without confirming the use of the missiles.
Russia’s defence ministry said Ukraine launched six US-made Atacms missiles targeting the south-western Bryansk region overnight. It claimed that five of the missiles were shot down and another was damaged. It said debris from the rockets caused a fire at an unnamed military facility.
Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, did not directly confirm the missile attack targeting Bryansk but said: “We now have Atacms, Ukrainian long-range capabilities, and we will use them.”
Russia’s foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov, said the Ukrainian attack was a clear signal that the west wanted to escalate the conflict. “Without the Americans, it is impossible to use these hi-tech missiles, as Putin has repeatedly said,” Lavrov said in Rio de Janeiro for the G20 summit. He said Russia would respond “accordingly” to the attack.
Britain is also expected to supply its own Storm Shadow missiles for use by Ukraine on targets inside Russia, after the US approval. Keir Starmer, the prime minister, said at the G20 summit that the UK recognised it needed to “double down” on its support for Ukraine,
The UN high commissioner for human rights, Volker Türk, marked the “grim” milestone of 1,000 days since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine by saying that it has been “1,000 days too many of senseless pain and suffering.” A statement by Türk’s spokesperson on Tuesday said the OHCHR has verified that at least 12,162 civilians have been killed since 24 February 2022, among them 659 children. At least another 26,919 civilians have been injured, it said.
President Zelenskyy said it is time for Germany to support Ukraine’s longer-range strike capabilities against Russia. “I think after statements about nuclear weapons, it is also time for Germany to support corresponding decisions,” the Ukrainian leader said during a briefing in Kyiv with Danish prime minister Mette Frederiksen. German chancellor Olaf Scholz, who held an hour-long call with Putin last week, has been hesitant to provide long-range Taurus cruise missiles to Ukraine, fuelling frustration in Kyiv.
US calls on Russia to 'stop bellicose and irresponsible rhetoric', says state department
The US has not seen any reason to adjust its nuclear posture, a spokesperson for the state department said after Russia lowered the threshold for a nuclear strike.
Matthew Miller, at a briefing with reporters on Tuesday, said Moscow’s “irresponsible and bellicose” rhetoric “will not do anything to improve Russia’s security”.
He said he was “not surprised” by comments by the Kremlin over the new revised nuclear doctrine, which allows for a potential nuclear response even to a conventional attack on Russia by any nation that is supported by a nuclear power.
“Since the beginning of its war of aggression against Ukraine, it has sought to coerce and intimidate both Ukraine and other countries around the world through irresponsible nuclear rhetoric and behavior,” Miller said.
“We have not seen any reason to adjust our own nuclear posture, but we will continue to call on Russia to stop this bellicose and the irresponsible rhetoric.”
