URGENT - This morning the Kremlin in Moscow said the Ukraine situation has become an "existential threat" to Russia.
According to Russian military doctrine, which is long published and well known, an "existential threat" is cause to use nuclear weapons.
NATO has long made clear that if Russia uses a nuclear weapon in Ukraine, and the radiation drifts across the border of a NATO member country, NATO will view the radiation as an "attack" by Russia, against NATO. They will invoke Article 5, collective self defense against Russia.
Russian President, Vladimir Putin made clear at the start of the Ukraine Special Military Operation, that if NATO declares Article 5 against Russia, "Russians will die as martyrs, NATO won't even have time to repent."
I don't know how fast any of this is going to happen, but today's declaration from the Kremlin is the final step before Russia uses nuclear weapons.
More if I get it.
UPDATE 9:38 AM EDT --
Kremlin, responding to Trump's 'fighting children' comment, says Ukraine war is existential https://t.co/8QgZQhDn7r
— ST Foreign Desk (@STForeignDesk) June 6, 2025
-- Russian Spotters:
Early in the day but Ukraine is already launching a "massive" (several dozen) UAV raid in the direction of Moscow and Ryazan.
UPDATE 9:58 AM EDT --
From last night's Russian attack against Ukraine, the following data is now available:
A detailed breakdown of the Russian missile strikes carried out overnight:
10 Iskander-M ballistic missiles were launched — 0 intercepted
13 Kalibr-NK cruise missiles — 2 intercepted
4 Kh-101 strategic cruise missiles — 1 intercepted
1 Kh-31PD anti-radar missile — 0 intercepted
Total missiles used: 27
Total intercepted: 3
Overall interception rate: ~10.7%
Strike Breakdown by Region:
Chernihiv
4 × 9M723-1 Iskander-M missiles struck targets
Kyiv and surrounding areas
3 × 9M723-1 Iskander-M missiles targeted the region
Poltava Region (Hadiach)
2 × Iskander-M missiles struck the area
Dnipropetrovsk Region (Pavlohrad)
1 × 9M723-1 Iskander-M missile hit a target
Lutsk
3 × Kh-101 missiles
4 × Kalibr missiles launched, 3 hit their targets
Ternopil
1 × Kh-101 missile successfully struck a designated target
4 × Kalibr missiles launched, all 4 hit their targets
Stryi,
Lviv Region
1 Kalibr missile was intercepted; target unknown
Ozerne Airbase, Zhytomyr Region
3 × Kalibr missiles hit their targets
Tuzly, Odesa Region
1 × Kh-31PD missile successfully struck a radar station (likely TRML-4D or "Pelikan")
This wave of missile strikes appears to have been highly effective, with most missiles reaching their intended targets and only a small fraction intercepted by Ukrainian air defenses.
