Russian invasion

Russian reactions
Russia lifts missile freeze: “Expect further steps”

Russia is lifting its freeze on deploying short- and medium-range missiles, the country’s foreign ministry said, according to the Kyiv Independent. Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev writes on X that the decision is “a result of NATO countries’ anti-Russian policies.”

“This is a new reality that our adversaries must take into account. Expect further steps,” he writes.

The United States withdrew from the so-called INF Treaty on the disarmament of intermediate-range missiles in 2019. Russia then declared a unilateral moratorium that meant it would not deploy such missiles as long as the United States did not. The Russian Defense Ministry says that conditions have changed since the US began deploying short- and medium-range missiles in Asia and Europe

The world's response
Germany moves fighter jets ahead of Russian exercise

Germany is moving several fighter jets to Poland, reports Bild.

The reason is the Russian military exercise Zapad-25, which is being carried out together with Belarus, which starts in four weeks.

But before that, NATO wants to show its presence in the region. 120 German soldiers have already been sent to Poland and now five German Eurofighter fighter jets are being added, according to information provided to Bild. Yesterday they landed at an air base east of Warsaw and today they will take to the air.

"The unit constitutes the so-called readiness group - a rapid reaction force that can react at short notice to any airspace violations," the German Defense Ministry said in a comment to the newspaper.

Ukraine ahead of Witkoff's visit: Increase pressure on Moscow

Ukraine is once again demanding that the US and EU take tougher action against Russia, reports The Guardian. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyj says that greater pressure, in the form of sanctions, will "certainly" "work for peace".

The move comes the day before US special envoy Steve Witkoff is expected to visit Moscow for new talks with the Russian leadership, possibly with President Vladimir Putin.