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.
Meanwhile, Russia and Ukraine have exchanged prisoners of war, with each side releasing 103 people, the Interfax news agency reported citing Russia’s defence ministry.
It comes as UK prime minister Sir Keir Starmer met with US president Joe Biden at the White House where they discussed the conflict. There was no announcement on the use of British and US long-range missiles by Ukraine.
Mr Zelensky has pleaded with allies for months to allow his military to fire long-range US ATACMS and British Storm Shadow missiles at Russian targets.
Putin warned Nato will be directly at war with Moscow if the US and UK allow Kyiv to use the weapons.
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.
Jabed Ahmed14 September 2024 18:16
‘Tug of war’ talks over long-range missiles helping Putin’s war on Ukraine, warns former defence secretary
Jabed Ahmed14 September 2024 17:39
Watch: Ukraine prisoners of war reunited with families after Russia exchange
Jabed Ahmed14 September 2024 17:05
US historian leads charity run in Kyiv to highlight the plight of Ukrainian POWs
Jabed Ahmed14 September 2024 16:46
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.
Jabed Ahmed14 September 2024 15:27
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.
Jabed Ahmed14 September 2024 14:49
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.
Jabed Ahmed14 September 2024 14:17
Watch: Boris Johnson meets Zelensky in Ukraine as Putin threatens war with the West
Jabed Ahmed14 September 2024 13:49
Pictured: Ukrainian prisoners of war reunited with families
Jabed Ahmed14 September 2024 13:26
