Russia USA rejects Putin threats - no announcement on weapons

Following a meeting between US President Joe Biden and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer in Washington, the release of far-reaching Western weapons for Ukrainian attacks in the Russian hinterland remains uncertain.

Meanwhile, Biden reacted calmly to threats from Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin regarding the possible use of Ukrainian weapons. When asked by a reporter what he thought about the Russian president's latest threats, Biden said at the meeting with Starmer in the White House that he did not think much of Putin. At the same time, the US President emphasized that the Kremlin leader would not win the war, but Ukraine would.

Putin had previously said that the use of long-range Western precision weapons against targets deep inside Russian territory should be seen as NATO involvement in the war. "This will mean that the countries of NATO, the USA and the European countries are fighting with Russia," said the Kremlin leader in response to a question from a journalist on state television in St. Petersburg. Russian UN Ambassador Vasily Nebensia referred to Russia's nuclear weapons in the United Nations Security Council.

At the meeting with Starmer, Biden wanted to discuss Ukraine's desire to use far-reaching Western weapons against targets in Russia. However, the White House had already dampened expectations in advance that there could be an announcement from the USA after the meeting.

The communications director of the US National Security Council, John Kirby, had said: "I would not expect an announcement to be made today about the use of long-range weapons inside Russia - certainly not by the US." There has been no change in the US government's position on this issue.

Starmer was also rather vague after the meeting with Biden. "This is not about a specific decision," said the British Prime Minister. But the topic would of course be taken up again in a few days at the UN General Assembly in New York with a larger group of people.

Washington on Putin threats: Dangerous, but not new

Meanwhile, the US government described Putin's threats as "incredibly dangerous". However, this rhetoric is not unusual or new, said White House spokeswoman Karine Jean-Pierre. "This is the kind of propaganda we've heard from Russia during this war," Jean-Pierre emphasized with regard to the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine, which has been going on for more than two and a half years.

Selenskyj wants further clearance for deployment in the Russian hinterland

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyi was also unimpressed by the threats from Russia. In his daily video address, in which he initially praised an exchange of prisoners between Moscow and Kiev, he repeated his demand for the release of extensive weapons. "This war can only be ended fairly from a position of strength," said the Ukrainian president.

Ukraine, which is supported by the West, has long been demanding that the USA and Great Britain allow the deployment of long-range missiles in the Russian hinterland. Their declared aim is to disrupt Russian logistics and attack military airfields of the air force far behind the Russian-Ukrainian border.

According to official statements, the USA is limiting the use of its weapons against Russia to repelling the Russian offensive against the eastern Ukrainian city of Kharkiv. The British government has not yet made any concrete statements on the question of what exactly it is allowing Ukraine to do with the Storm Shadow cruise missiles it has provided.

USA makes serious accusations against Russian broadcaster RT

While a decision is still pending in Washington, there are to be further sanctions against the Russian state television broadcaster RT. The US government has once again made serious accusations against RT, accusing the broadcaster of interfering in "the sovereign affairs of countries around the world".

Thanks to new information, it is now known that RT has cyber capabilities and is involved in covert information and influence operations as well as working hand in hand with the Russian military, said US Secretary of State Antony Blinken. For example, the broadcaster conducts covert operations to provide Russian armed forces with military equipment.

USA: RT supports Russian military

According to the US State Department, the broadcaster operates as a "direct arm of the Russian government". RT is not only responsible for spreading misinformation, but is "a full member of the Russian government's intelligence and operations in the war in Ukraine". One project is a large online crowdfunding program in Russia, which is disseminated on RT and via social media channels, to support Russian military units in Ukraine and supply them with military equipment and weapons, Blinken said.

Attacks during the night

There were again air raids in many places in Ukraine on Saturday night. The Ukrainian air force reported a number of Russian attacks using combat drones. Mayor Vitali Klitschko reported on Telegram that there was damage in the capital Kiev following a drone attack. In the Obolon district, debris from a drone had fallen onto the premises of a utility company. There were also reports of explosions in Kharkiv in the east, Poltava in the center and Odessa in the south of Ukraine.

Russia shifts direction of attack in Ukraine to the south

Despite Western support for Kiev, the Russian military on the front line is significantly better equipped with personnel, equipment and weapons than the Ukrainian defenders. This is why the Ukrainians remain under pressure on the defensive.

According to the Ukrainian military, heavy fighting is continuing, particularly in the east of the country. There have been 115 battles, the General Staff in Kiev announced in its evening situation report on Friday. "The situation was hottest today in the direction of Kurakhove, but the enemy was also active in the direction of Lyman and Pokrovsk," it said. In the Kurakhove area, the Ukrainian defenders have so far repelled 30 attacks, with 5 more still ongoing.

Kurakhove is a small town south of Pokrovsk. For a long time, Pokrovsk was considered the main direction of attack for the Russian troops. Recently, however, the Russians were only able to make few territorial gains in the area. Instead, they widened their axis of attack to the south.

Near Kurakhove, they are now attempting to capture the mining town of Hirnyk in order to either encircle Ukrainian forces or force them to abandon their positions. The Russian military blog Dwa Majora wrote of major advances in the region for the Moscow military.

In the Russian region of Kursk, on the other hand, Moscow's troops have so far made little progress in recapture attempts, according to Zelenskyi. "They wanted to break through there quickly.... We have not seen any serious successes so far," said the head of state during an appearance in the Ukrainian capital Kiev.