NowWire · AI-assisted reporting summary · October 2, 2026 UTC
Russian President Vladimir Putin rejected a ceasefire on long-range strikes with Ukraine during a speech at the Valdai political forum in Moscow, dismissing proposals to halt attacks on energy infrastructure as ridiculous. Putin acknowledged that Ukrainian drone and missile strikes on domestic oil refineries had cost Russia 1 percent of its gross domestic product, but stated that Moscow was responding in kind with stepped-up aerial campaigns against Ukrainian steel companies, rail supply chains, and energy sites. [1] [2]
During the same forum, Putin warned Western nations that Russia would deploy all available weapons, including its nuclear arsenal, to defend the Russian Baltic exclave of Kaliningrad or any other Russian territory facing a direct attack or blockade. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte rejected Moscow's claims regarding alliance drills in the Baltic Sea, calling the nuclear warnings unhelpful and emphasizing that military exercises are purely defensive. [1] [2]
Sources
- Russia’s Putin rules out ceasefire with Ukraine during speech in Moscow — 2026-10-01T21:33:15Z
- Putin Warns West Over Kaliningrad, Admits Ukrainian Strikes Cut Russia's GDP by 1% — 2026-10-01T22:46:31+03:00