The Kremlin on Saturday vowed "retaliation" for what it said was Ukraine's use of American-made Army Tactical Missile Systems against targets in a Russian border region.

Russia’s defence ministry may believe its forces are “defeating” Ukraine’s counter-offensive in the Kursk region, but Vladimir Putin clearly doesn’t.

The U.S. secretary of state told the Financial Times that pressure from Beijing dissuaded Vladimir Putin from using nuclear weapons.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has stated that Russia had seriously considered using nuclear weapons in Ukraine, but China dissuaded it from doing so. Source: Blinken's comments to the Financial Times Details: Blinken said the US was "very concerned" that Putin appeared to have at least contemplated the nuclear option.

Russia considered a nuclear strike on Ukraine. China has warned Moscow against using nuclear weapons, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken told the Financial Times. He notes the United States was “very concerned” because Russian President Vladimir Putin was probably considering a nuclear option against Ukraine.