Putin diskutert på BBC

 

TOP OF THE AGENDA

A closer look into Putin's possible next steps

The Kremlin accused the “collective West” of escalating the war in Ukraine. Credit: Reuters

The conflict between Ukraine and Russia has been escalating in recent weeks, from North Korean troops arriving in Kursk to US President Joe Biden authorising the use of long-range missiles to strike Russia and landmines on Ukrainian territory, to Russian President Vladimir Putin lowering the threshold that could trigger nuclear retaliation before using a new type of missile. Our Russia editor Steve Rosenberg has delved into the question on many people's minds: "Do you know what Putin will do next?" In his piece published Friday, Steve tells us: "I’ll be honest with you. I don’t." But he does have three important observations. First, de-escalation doesn't seem to be an option for the Russian president. Second, there are scenarios in which nuclear threats should be taken seriously. And finally, if the Kremlin thinks Donald Trump can help them end the war on terms beneficial to Russia, it might hold any major escalation right now. "If that calculation changes, so could Moscow’s response," writes Steve. Live updates: Nato says it won't be deterred from supporting Ukraine, a spokesperson for the military alliance said. Our live page will follow developments throughout the day. A deepening alliance: Russia is estimated to have supplied North Korea with more than a million barrels of oil since March this year, according to satellite imagery analysis. Please check on it in a separate article here: https://tinyurl.com/42kuktub The war in maps: Here's what you need to know about the situation on the front line.