Russia on Wednesday announced a new plan to modernize its capital's air defenses and issued new warnings towards America and Britain. As pro-Russian separatist forces surrounded the Ukrainian city of Bakhmut, Washington said Beijing had not yet delivered lethal weapons to Moscow.
On Wednesday, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu unveiled a plan to modernize anti-missile defense systems in the capital, Moscow.
The development came after a series of Ukrainian drone attacks on Russian soil. Several air defense systems have appeared on rooftops around Moscow this year.
"This year we will complete the modernization of the anti-missile defense systems of the city of Moscow," Shoigu was quoted by Russian news agencies as telling military officials, adding that the development of air defense weapons was a "priority" of the army.
Shoigu said the military would also form "an air defense squad that will train and equip the new generation of S-350 air-to-ground missile systems."
He did not say whether the plans were new or linked to the conflict in Ukraine.
Last month, a march attempted to bomb a facility in the Moscow region.
Drone attacks on Russian territory and Russian-controlled Crimea have increased, more than a year after the conflict in Ukraine began.
Field developments
On the ground, the pro-Russian Donetsk authorities announced that the city of Pakhmot was almost completely encircled.
This came in conjunction with the visit of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to the forward positions of his country's troops in the direction of the Bakhmaut front.
In the capital, Kiev, authorities said there had been dead and wounded in a Russian attack.
Authorities in Crimea said on Wednesday that the Russian navy had "repelled" a drone attack in the port of Sevastopol.
Moscow announced the closure of Sevastopol Bay to shipping after an attack on the city.
Sevastopol Governor Mikhail Razvogaev said on Telegram on Wednesday morning that the Black Sea Fleet had repelled a drone attack on the city.
"They tried to penetrate our bay, and our sailors shot them with light weapons. Air defense is also activated."
The Russian military website "Rebar" reported that air defenses shot down 3 Ukrainian drones that were on their way to target the Gulf of Sevastopol in Crimea. The site said the three drones were shot down over the sea and did not reach their targets.
A dangerous aggravation and patience has limits
Russia's foreign minister warned Wednesday that London's handover to Ukraine of ammunition containing depleted uranium would represent a "dangerous aggravation" of the conflict.
Sergei Lavrov told a news conference in Sochi in southern Russia that "it is a step towards further aggravation, a serious aggravation" of the conflict.
On Tuesday, Russian President Vladimir Putin stressed that "Russia will have to respond" in the event of such an extradition, without providing further details.
Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said on Wednesday that Washington's decision to continue flying over the Black Sea was pushing Russia to take confrontational measures, warning Washington not to test Moscow's patience.
Ryabkov vowed to ensure Russia's security by all available means, adding that the United States shows every day the desire to follow the path of escalation, calling this path very dangerous, and pointed out that the United States is already directly involved in the conflict in Ukraine.
The Russian official warned that members of the US Congress demanding the supply of cluster munitions to Kiev are unaware of the potential consequences for NATO.
Pentagon spokesman Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder said U.S. forces were continuing their operations over the Black Sea and flying in international airspace in accordance with international law.
However, Dmitry Medvedev, deputy head of Russia's National Security Council, said drone movement in airspace, which is part of Russia's territory and sovereignty, should be tracked.
Medvedev added – in a post on Telegram – that the Americans have completely lost their minds, and that harmony with them is wrong, despite the need for military contacts, as he put it.
He explained that the Americans withdrew from the Open Skies Treaty, which gave the right to military inspection.
Putin and China's weapons arrested
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Wednesday that China had not "crossed the line" of delivering lethal weapons to Russia as part of its war in Ukraine.
Responding to a question during his testimony to the Senate in Washington, Blinken said: "So far, we haven't found that they've crossed that line."
Blinken has been publicly warning for weeks that China is considering Russia's request for weapons to fight in Ukraine, and information points to limited shipments sent by Chinese companies to Moscow.
On the other hand, the US secretary said that his country will encourage other countries to extradite Russian President Vladimir Putin if he visits, after the arrest warrant issued against him by the International Criminal Court.
"I believe that any member of the court has obligations and has to fulfill his commitments," he said.
His comments came in response to questions from Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, who said the United States should arrest Putin if he stepped on American soil.
The United States is not a member of the International Criminal Court. Blinken said he did not expect Putin to travel to the United States.
Russia is a member of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum, which is at its summit in November in San Francisco, but the United States is unlikely to invite Putin.