On the thousandth day of the invasion of Ukraine, theRussia promised, Tuesday, November 19, a response “appropriate” to the attack on its territory carried out by Ukraine with American ATACMS missiles, believing that the conflict was tipping into “a new phase” and announcing that the possibilities of resorting to nuclear weapons were thus broadened. The Ukrainian Minister of Foreign Affairs, for his part, called for “keep your head” cold in the face of this revision of Russian nuclear doctrine and “don’t give in to fear”. Since the G20 in Brazil, French President Emmanuel Macron has denounced a posture “escalatory” of Russia, calling Vladimir Putin “to reason”. Here's what to remember from this day.
Six ATACM missiles fired in the middle of the night towards the Bryansk region, according to Moscow
Russia claimed that Ukraine had attacked its territory overnight with American long-range missiles, a first. Six ATACM missiles were fired on Tuesday around 3:25 a.m. towards a target located in the Bryansk region, said the Russian Defense Ministry, cited by the Tass agency. The anti-aircraft defense shot down five of these missiles and damaged another. Debris fell on the site of a military installation, starting a fire which was extinguished.
While several Ukrainian media, relaying comments from anonymous Ukrainian officials, affirm that kyiv is indeed at the origin of these shots, Volodymyr Zelensky has neither denied nor confirmed this information, limiting himself to saying that his country had ATACMS in his disposition and was going “use them”.
Vladimir Putin expands the possible use of nuclear weapons
Russian President Vladimir Putin signed the decree expanding the possibilities of using nuclear weapons, just after the United States authorized kyiv to strike Russian soil with its long-range missiles. “Among the conditions justifying the use of nuclear weapons is the launch of ballistic missiles against Russia”according to this decree.
“It was necessary to adapt our foundations to the current situation”explained the spokesperson for the Russian presidency, Dmitri Peskov, in the face of what Vladimir Putin considers to be “menaces” emanating from the West against the security of Russia.
This rhetoric on the use of atomic weapons was denounced by Washington, the European Union and the United Kingdom, who castigated an attitude “irresponsible” from Moscow. The Ukrainian Minister of Foreign Affairs, for his part, called for “keep your head” cold and “don’t give in to fear”.
Ukraine says it will 'never submit'
On this thousandth day after the Russian invasion, Ukraine asserted that it would not submit “Never”despite his deep difficulties on the battlefield and the uncertainty weighing on the sustainability of American support. “Ukraine will never submit to the occupiers and Russian soldiers will be punished for violating international law”underlined Ukrainian diplomacy. She also ruled that security cannot be restored “without the restoration of the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine”.
Recalling that Moscow took advantage of this war to build a military alliance with North Korea and Iran, Ukrainian diplomacy referred to British attempts to avoid a war with Nazi Germany by making concessions, in vain. to Adolf Hitler: “We need peace through force, not through appeasement.”
The year 2025 will decide whether the war started by the Kremlin will be won by Russia or Ukraine, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said. in front of the Ukrainian Parliament.
War in Ukraine: 1,000th day of conflict
Tuesday November 19 marks the thousandth day of the war in Ukraine, as the Russians continue their attack on the country.
(France 2)
Nighttime strike kills seven in northeastern Ukraine
A strike blamed on Russia killed seven people in a region of northeastern Ukraine, the scene of an upsurge in deadly bombings, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced. The strike carried out by a drone targeted the Sumy region, bordering that of Kursk in Russia, where Ukrainian forces occupy part of the territory after an offensive in August.
“Last night, a drone struck Hloukhiv, destroying a dormitory in one of the educational establishments. At the moment, we know that seven people, including a child, were tragically killed in this attack”Volodymyr Zelensky said, adding that other victims could be trapped under the rubble. The Ukrainian president posted a video online showing rescuers searching through the rubble and extracting, at dawn, one of the people killed during the strike in a black body bag.
Emmanuel Macron calls Vladimir Putin “to reason”
The French president, who judged “quite good” the decision of the United States to authorize Ukraine to use long-range missiles in Russia, denounced Tuesday a posture “escalatory” of Russia in Ukraine, calling Vladimir Putin “to reason”, during a press briefing at the closing of the G20 in Rio, Brazil. “That peace will arrive in 2025 is what we all want. It depends first of all on Russia, and that it stops attacking, bombing, killing, invading. And then it depends on the agreement that the protagonists of this conflict will be able to find”added the head of state.
Emmanuel Macron, who met his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping earlier in the day, also said he had asked him to weigh in with Moscow, of which Beijing remains an ally. “I called on President Xi Jinping to use all his weight, his pressure, his negotiating capacity towards President Putin so that he stops the attacks”he said.
