Moscow cites risk of nuclear war

Ukrainian Defence Minister (first from left) Oleksii Reznikov talks to Lithuania’s Minister of Defense Arvydas Anusauskas (centre) and Danish Minister of Defence Morten Bodskov (right) at a meeting with members of a Ukraine Security Consultative Group at the US Air Base in Ramstein, Germany on Tuesday. Pics/AFP, AP

Russia accused NATO of engaging in a proxy battle that created a serious risk of nuclear war as Washington convened its allies on Tuesday at a German air base to pledge the heavy weapons Ukraine needs to achieve victory. With Russian forces having been forced back from Kyiv and now attempting a new advance in Ukraine's east, U.S. Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin welcomed officials from more than 40 countries to Ramstein, Germany, headquarters of U.S. air power in Europe.

A Ukrainian serviceman walks amid the rubble of a building heavily damaged by multiple Russian bombardments in Kharkiv on Monday

As we see this morning, nations from around the world stand united in our resolve to support Ukraine in its fight against Russia's imperial aggression," Austin said. "Ukraine clearly believes that it can win, and so does everyone here."

Lloyd Austin, US defense secretary

In a marked escalation of Russian rhetoric, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov was asked on state TV about the prospect of World War Three and whether the current situation was comparable to the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis that nearly caused nuclear war. "The risks now are considerable," Lavrov said. "The danger is serious, real. And we must not underestimate it," Lavrov said. "NATO, in essence, is engaged in a war with Russia through a proxy and is arming that proxy. War means war."

A member of the State Emergency Service of Ukraine walks past a pile of missile remains collected in Kharkiv on Monday. Pics/AFP

U.S. officials have

shifted emphasis this week from speaking mainly about helping Kyiv defend itself to talk of a Ukrainian victory that would deliver a blow to Russia's ability to threaten neighbours in the future. Austin, who visited Kyiv along with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Sunday, said on Monday, "We want to see Russia weakened to the degree that it can't do the kinds of things that it has done in invading Ukraine.

8.3MN
No. of people projected to flee Ukraine by year-end

UN chief on Moscow visit

U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres has called for a cease-fire in Ukraine at his meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in Moscow. "We are extremely interested in finding ways in order to create the conditions for effective dialogue, create the conditions for a cease-fire as soon as possible, create the conditions for a peaceful solution," Guterres said at the start of the meeting.

UN projects 8.3 million refugees

The UN refugee agency is launching a new appeal for funds for the crisis sparked by the war in Ukraine that projects up to 8.3 million people will have to flee the country by year-end.

. Russia struck over 90 military targets in Ukraine overnight, killing at least 500 Ukrainian soldiers and destroying armoured vehicles, artillery and other military equipment, defence ministry said

. Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Turkish counterpart, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, discussed the situation in Ukraine during a phone conversation on Tuesday, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said

. Two people were killed and six wounded in Russian shelling of Ukraine's eastern region of Donetsk on Tuesday, the regional governor said

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