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Latest War in Ukraine: Allies of Putin and Donald Trump Jr. warn of WWIII threat after Biden allows Ukraine to use US missiles in Russia | World news

Good morning.

At the beginning of each week we publish an overview of the most important events in the conflict over the past seven days.

It’s fast approaching a thousand days since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine – and here’s what you need to know…

Biden approves the use of long-range missiles for attacks in Russia

In what marks a major policy change, Joe Biden has allowed Ukraine to launch US-supplied missiles deep into Russia.

Biden’s policy change means Kiev can now use Army Tactical Missile Systems (ATACMS) for long-range strikes to hold the small part of Russian territory it occupies in Kursk.

The US has relaxed restrictions on the use of ATACMS, which have a range of up to 300 kilometers. Russia began deploying North Korean ground troops to supplement his own forces in the conflict.

Ukraine plans to carry out its first such attacks in the coming days, sources told NBC, without releasing details due to operational security concerns.

Russia is launching a major attack on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure

Volodymyr Zelenskyy said 120 missiles and 90 drones were launched in a “massive combined attack” overnight into Sunday, with Ukrainian defenses shooting down nearly 150.

The sweeping attack targeted energy infrastructure across Ukraine and led to emergency power outages.

Several people were killed in four regions of Ukraine.

Russia’s Defense Ministry confirmed it has launched an attack on energy facilities that power Ukraine’s military-industrial complex, Russian news agencies reported.

Russian advance in the east

Ukrainian forces are facing a “challenging” situation in the country’s east, where Russian troops have been waging a major offensive for months, Volodymyr Zelenskyy said.

Speaking about the situation on the front in a radio interview last weekend, the Ukrainian leader cited several problems, including soldier fatigue, problems with equipping and rotating brigades and delays in military aid from allies.

Russia claims to have captured a new series of villages and settlements in Ukraine’s Donetsk region in the past week, where it is putting offensive pressure on the strategic cities of Pokrovsk and Kurakhove, both of which are vital to Ukraine.

Our chief correspondent Stuart Ramsay, who recently visited Ukrainian soldiers in the east, said Moscow was “on the rise” and the Ukrainian army was “in quite a bit of trouble.”

Ukraine faces 50,000 troops in Kursk

As Ukrainian forces battle Russian military power in the east, a separate army of soldiers maintains a stronghold in Russia’s Kursk border region, where Kiev launched a surprise invasion and took parts of territory in August.

Ukrainian officials said last week that Russia had amassed a force of about 50,000 troops, including 10,000 North Korean soldiers, for an attack that could happen at any time.

Kiev’s top commander, Oleksandr Syrskyi, said Moscow was trying to “dislodge” Ukrainian forces and “push deep into the territory we control.”

NATO allies believe Putin hopes to retake Russian territory before Donald Trump’s inauguration on January 20.

Trump and Putin ‘talking on the phone’

Last week began with reports in the US media that Donald Trump had spoken to Vladimir Putin the day after the presidential election and urged him not to escalate the war in Ukraine.

The president-elect also reportedly reminded Putin of America’s extensive military presence in Europe during Thursday’s call, according to The Washington Post and Reuters, which cited sources familiar with the call.

However, the Kremlin denied the reports, with spokesman Dmitry Peskov saying Putin currently has no specific plans to talk to Trump.

It comes as questions remain over the future of US support for Ukraine two weeks after the presidential election.

Trump had claimed he could end the war within a day if re-elected to the White House – but some in Kiev fear that could mean giving up land in the east and Crimea.

Scholz-Putin call angers Ukraine

If the reports are true, Trump is not the only Western leader to have had recent talks with Putin.

On Friday, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Putin spoke in a telephone conversation lasting about an hour – their first since December 2022.

A German official said that during the call, Scholz condemned Russia’s “war of aggression” and called on Putin to end it by withdrawing troops.

But Volodymyr Zelensky was critical of the call, saying it undermined efforts to isolate the Russian leader and opened “Pandora’s box.”

Scholz defended the talk on Sunday, saying he wanted to dispel any illusions that Ukraine would lose the West’s support. He also said the “detailed” call shows little has changed in the Russian president’s attitude toward the war.

Sky News speaks to troops on the ground

Our chief correspondent Stuart Ramsay has spent time with Ukrainian troops in eastern Ukraine, where, as we explained, the situation is difficult as they face intense Russian attacks.

A commander called a “genius” by his men and who used to run an organization that helped children said Ukraine is running out of troops and equipment.

He is skeptical that the US president will strike a deal with Russia – and expects fighting in the Kursk region to intensify.

You can read the full report here:

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