Putin is visiting Belarus to sign a treaty offering security guarantees to Moscow’s closest ally. Russian forces say they have captured two key villages in eastern Ukraine. DW has the latest.
Russia claims territorial gains in eastern Ukraine Russian economy shows signs of slowdown, top banker warns Sweden, Denmark place huge order for combat vehicles
German lawmakers to debate Taurus missile delivery
German lawmakers are debating on Friday on whether to send Taurus long-range cruise missiles to Ukraine.
Chancellor Olaf Scholz has so far rejected delivering them to Kyiv despite repeated appeals from the Ukrainian government as well as some German politicians.
He argues that Germany runs the risk of being drawn into the war between Russia and Ukraine if the Taurus cruise missiles are used.
The Taurus is one of the most powerful weapons in the German army’s arsenal, with the ability to penetrate bunkers.
It has a range of 500 kilometers (300 miles) and can be fired by a fighter jet.
Ukraine wants to use it to attack positions inside Russia.
The motion to discuss the Taurus delivery was submitted by the pro-business Free Democrats (FDP), which was until recently part of Scholz’s governing coalition. The motion is unlikely to be voted on.
The collapse of the coalition last month triggered new elections, which are scheduled to take place in February next year.
Russia claims territorial gains in eastern Ukraine
Russia said Friday it had captured two key villages in eastern Ukraine, where its troops have been advancing for months.
One village, Sukhi Yaly, is about 13 kilometers (8 miles) southwest of Kurakhove, a strategic industrial town on the banks of a reservoir that Moscow is trying to encircle.
The other one is Pustynka, which lies just south of Pokrovsk, an embattled logistics hub key to supplying Ukrainian troops across the front line.
Russia, Belarus to sign security treaty
Russian President Vladimir Putin is in Belarus to sign a treaty offering security guarantees to Moscow’s closest ally.
Speaking alongside Belarus’ President Alexander Lukashenko, Putin said: “I’m sure that the treaty will ensure the security of Russia and Belarus.”
The planned signing follows changes to Russia’s nuclear doctrine, which lowered the threshold for Moscow’s use of its nuclear weaponswhile also extending Russia’s nuclear umbrella to cover Belarus.
Putin said on Friday that the new treaty document includes a potential use of Russian tactical nuclear weapons deployed to Belarus in response to an aggression.
Lukashenko, who has ruled Belarus with an iron fist since 1994, said in October that any use of Russian nuclear weapons now deployed in Belarus would require his personal assent.
