Ukraine’s parliament suspends session amid fears of Russian strike

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Ukraine’s parliament suspended its session on Friday over fears of Russian strikes targeting the heart of Kiev, the day after a new ballistic missile launch and warnings issued by President Vladimir Putin to the West.

After this strike, the President of Russia, in a speech to the country that was delivered on Thursday night, held the responsibility of the West for increasing the conflict.

He believed that the war in Ukraine had taken on a “global character” and threatened to hit countries associated with Kiev.

As tensions continued in Ukraine, representatives told Agence France-Presse that Parliament had “suspended” its session because it had received “signals that there is an increased risk in attacks against the government area in the coming days.”

This area is in the heart of Kiev, where the presidency, the government and the central bank are located, and which has been saved so far from bombing.

The army strictly controls entry.

Presidential spokesman Volodymyr Zelensky, for his part, confirmed that the presidential administration “continues to work as usual, taking into account the usual security rules.”

In addition, NATO and Ukraine plan to hold talks in Brussels on Tuesday to discuss the situation, diplomats told AFP.

The Foreign Minister of Ukraine, Andriy Sepiga, said in a press conference on Friday that Ukraine is waiting for “important and important” decisions against Russia after its meeting with NATO countries.

The minister explained that Kiev will demonstrate “how to prevent Russia’s ability to produce this type of weapon.”

– I “got” the message –

In his speech broadcast on Russian television, Putin announced that Russia bombed a military industrial complex in Dnipro, central Ukraine, on Thursday with a new medium-range hypersonic ballistic missile (with a range of up to 5,500 kilometers), which he provided. called Oreshnik and was used in its “non-nuclear version.”

According to Putin, this bombing came in response to Kiev making two strikes using American “Atakum” missiles and British Storm Shadow missiles.

Putin commented on Thursday that “the conflict in Ukraine has acquired elements of a global nature,” warning that his country reserves ​​the right to military bases that belong to countries that allow their to use weapons against them.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov emphasized on Friday, “The main message is that the irresponsible decisions and actions taken by the Western countries that produce missiles, bring them to Ukraine and then “participating in strikes on Russian territory, to pass without a response from Russia.”

He said he was “confident” that the United States “understood” this message.

The United States, which was notified by Moscow 30 minutes before the missile was launched, accused Russia of “escalating” and adopting “irresponsible” nuclear rhetoric.

The United Nations spoke of a “disturbing development,” and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz expressed his regret at the “terrible increase.”

China, an important partner of Russia, called for “restraint.” Kazakhstan, an ally of Moscow, strengthened its security measures due to “escalation in Ukraine.”

In this context, the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky called on the international community to “react,” denouncing the “crazy neighbor” who is exploiting his country as a “testing ground.”

– “Lab Mice” –

This comes when Russia changed its nuclear doctrine in a way that allows Moscow to use these weapons against countries that do not have them.

Residents of Kiev expressed different views on the missile attack in Ukraine when met by Agence France-Presse on Thursday.

“It’s scary,” said student Ilija Djiga. “I hope our army can repel these attacks,” and Oksana, who works in marketing, called on Europeans to “take action” and “not be silent.”

Pavlo Andryuchenko, a 38-year-old chef, said that Putin is “testing his weapons on us.

On the ground, Russian strikes on Ukraine continue.

The Public Prosecution of Ukraine said that it was a march attack that caused the death of two people and the injury of 12 others.

The day after Putin’s statements, Russian Defense Minister Andrey Belousov visited a military command center in the Kursk region, where Ukrainian forces have occupied hundreds of square kilometers since the beginning of August.

“We have almost blocked their entire 2025 campaign,” Belousov said, stressing that Moscow had “destroyed the most effective units” in Ukraine while making progress in field, noting that it was happening “at an accelerated pace.”

This comes as Kiev fears that President-elect Donald Trump, who will assume his duties in the White House, will reduce or stop US aid to the Ukrainian military. starting in January.

por-pop/rem/pk