Goodnight
That’s all for our live coverage this evening, but we’ll be back with more updates tomorrow.
If you’re just checking in, here is a recap of the key moments of the day.
- Joe Biden has allowed Ukraine to strike inside Russia with long-range US missiles for the first time, according to NBC News, our partner news organisation;
- Ukraine plans to conduct its first long-range attacks in the coming days, US sources said;
- Russia vowed to retaliate to what it called a “radical change” in the war;
- A Russian attack on Odesa killed 10 people, including four children aged seven to 11, and injured 39 people;
- An attack on Sumy killed 11 people including two children, aged nine and 14, injuring a further 89 people.
‘Sick of the word escalation’: Ukrainian MP rejects Russian threats
In our last post, we heard from former Putin adviser Sergey Markov threatening the US for allowing Ukraine to fire its long-range missiles into Russia.
Now, Ukrainian MP Andrii Osadchuk tells Sky News’ The World they have heard this Russian propaganda before.
“Threatening the outside world is probably the most advanced skill of Kremlin.”
He recalls threats were made when Ukrainian allies decided to supply multiple-rocket launchers in the summer of 2022, when they supplied battle tanks in February 2023, and when they supplied F-16 fighter jets this year.
“They [Russia] are singing the same song about long-range missiles.”
But these are not even long-range missiles, he says, firing only 186 miles, and Ukraine has already been using the British Storm Shadow rockets against occupied Crimea dozens of times, which Russia treats as Russian territory.
“We are sick of the word escalation. It is very much a delayed decision,” says Mr Osadchuk, adding it should have been made two years ago.
“It was extremely unfair that for 1,000 days, we were in an extremely asymmetric situation.”
Russia could attack for several thousand kilometres, while Ukraine could only respond within 100, he says.
“We are under daily attack of Russian Federation. Daily we are losing civilians, daily we are losing military personnel.”
Former Putin adviser says British military would become target if Ukraine hit Russia with Storm Shadow missiles
The US has become directly involved in the war by allowing Ukraine to fire its long-range missiles at Russia, says former Putin adviser Sergey Markov.
He tells Sky News’ The World the US is using Russia’s deployment of North Korean troops against Ukraine as only a “pretence”.
“Joe Biden wants to block attempts of Donald Trump when he will be inaugurated as president to make a peece deal.”
Mr Markov goes as far as to suggest, without any evidence, that the Biden administration would lie about links between Trump and Putin to prevent him becoming president.
“This is attempt of the blocking of result of the presidential elections.”
Pressed on the presence of North Korean troops, he repeats unsubstantiated Kremlin talking points that Russia invaded Ukraine to “save” lives.
If Ukraine uses the UK’s long-range missiles, known as Storm Shadow, against Russia with the participation of British officers, the Great British military would become a target, continues Mr Markov.
“If United States and Great Britain are now directly taking part in a war against Russia, it means that all militaries of US and Great Britain become legitimate goals for the Russian military.”
Intelligence aviation jets and satellites could be attacked, he says.
Analysis: West undeterred by Kremlin fury – but they’ll worry what’s going on behind scenes
Russian rhetoric has been boilerplate in response to Biden lifting the ban on Ukraine using its long-range missiles to strike Russia, says Moscow correspondent Ivor Bennett.
A lot of people will think its accusation that the US is escalating the conflict is “a bit rich coming from Russia given the reports of thousands of North Korean troops being deployed by Moscow”, he adds.
“There was no mention of that. Moscow only ever accuses others of escalation.”
The Kremlin has remained “deliberately vague” about what a Russian response might look like, Bennett explains.
Vladimir Putin has previously raised the prospect of sending weapons to Western adversaries, potentially referring to Iran or its proxies.
He has also frequently referred to the nuclear option, but Washington have calculated this is another bluff, says Bennett.
Russia’s red lines over battle tanks and fighter jets have both been crossed during this war without “incurring the repercussions that were threatened”.
But it could respond in subtler ways, such as sabotage and cyberattacks, says Bennett.
“This public fury we’ve heard today from the Kremlin won’t worry the West so much, it’s more what they might do out of sight behind the scenes.”
US accuses Russia of ‘major escalation’
A little earlier we featured comments from the Russian foreign ministry accusing the US of escalating the war by allowing Ukraine to fire long-range American missiles into Russia.
The US has now said Russia was escalating the conflict by deploying North Korean troops.
State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller declined to confirm Joe Biden had decided to allow the strikes, but said the US “will always adapt and adjust the capabilities we provide to Ukraine when it’s appropriate to do so”.
“It has been Russia that has escalated the conflict time and time again,” Mr Miller said, pointing to the 11,000 North Korean troops the US says have clashed with Ukrainian forces in Russia’s Kursk region.
“That is a major escalation by Russia bringing in an Asian military to a conflict inside Europe.
“We will continue to do what is appropriate to hold Russia accountable for its actions, including its escalatory actions, and to hold North Korea accountable for its escalatory actions.”
Watch chief correspondent Stuart Ramsay explain the US decision here…
Analysis: US missile decision will likely see UK follow suit
Is allowing Ukraine to fire long-range American missiles deep into Russia a game-changer?
International correspondent Alex Rossi takes a look at the ATACMS rockets being approved for use and what their impact could be.
“On the face of it, it’s a big military edge, but the Russians are already responding by moving hardware and personnel out of range,” he says.
But, Rossi adds, Ukraine could use them to repel an anticipated counteroffensive in Kursk, where Ukraine captured Russian territory in August.
“President Biden’s decision will likely see the British government follow suit,” continues Rossi.
Watch his full analysis here…
Trump’s top security adviser says long-range missile permission escalates war
Donald Trump’s pick for national security adviser says allowing Ukraine to use US long-range missiles against Russian territory threatens to escalate the war.
Michael Waltz called Joe Biden’s decision “another step up the escalation ladder” in an interview on Fox.
He will be in charge of US weapons headed for Ukraine and tackling the growing alliance between Russia and North Korea when Mr Trump enters the White House in January.
“Nobody knows where this is going. North Korea is unleashing ballistic missiles, artillery, and now tens of thousands of soldiers,” said Mr Waltz.
“The [Biden] administration responds by lifting this restriction. North Korea sends more soldiers. South Korea is now saying it may get engaged.”
He spoke about Mr Trump getting “both sides to the table” to end the war – despite Vladimir Putin signalling any negotiation would mean Russia keeping the land it has occupied in its invasion.
Who is Michael Waltz?
Mr Waltz is a three-term Republican congressman and retired Army National Guard officer, making him one of Trump’s more conventional defence picks.
By contrast, Mr Trump has chosen Pete Hegseth, a Fox News weekend co-host with no Pentagon experience, for secretary of defence.
Former congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard has been nominated to lead America’s intelligence community, despite being embraced by Kremlin allies for her dovish views on the war.
Schools mourn children aged nine and 14 killed by Russian missile attack
Two children were killed in a Russian attack on a high-rise residential building yesterday, reports local news outlet Ukrainska Pravda.
Ilya, aged nine, and Anastasia, 14, were among 11 killed by the ballistic missile blast in Sumy, northeastern Ukraine.
The boy’s father had already buried his brother, Evgeny, who was killed on the frontline.
Ilya’s school said: “This terrible event was a great shock for our entire school family. Ilya was a kind and bright child.
“His energy and sincerity will remain in our memory forever. The bright memory of Ilya will always be in our hearts.”
Anastasia’s school said: “There are no words to express everything that each of us is feeling right now. Sadness, pain, sorrow.”
Finland and Germany sound alarm over ‘hybrid warfare’ after undersea cable cut
The Finnish and German governments say European security is under threat from “malicious actors” carrying out “hybrid warfare” after a Baltic undersea cable was severed.
An investigation has been launched after a Finnish state-controlled cyber security telecoms company, Cinia, said an outside force may be responsible for cutting the 745-mile fibre optic communications cable linking the two countries.
The Finnish and German foreign ministries said in a joint statement they were “deeply concerned”.
“Our European security is not only under threat from Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, but also from hybrid warfare by malicious actors,” they said.
“Safeguarding our shared critical infrastructure is vital to our security and the resilience of our societies.”
Swedish public service broadcaster SVT reported that Swedish authorities were also investigating damage to a communications cable running between Lithuania and Sweden, close to the one that was severed.
Watch: What could Ukraine hit with long-range missiles?
The news of Joe Biden’s permission for Ukraine to fire long-range US missiles into Russia continues to dominate headlines.
Military analyst Sean Bell explains the likely targets would be logistics hubs and airfields, given the need for satellite technology to view targets from 200 miles away.
The Russians have already moved their fighter jets outside of that radius, meaning it will be “a lot more difficult” to launch air raids over Ukraine, said Bell.
Watch Bell’s full analysis here, including how he expects Vladimir Putin to respond…