Russia intensifies relentless offensive with renewed airstrikes across Ukraine

[Anchor]

Ukraine is on high alert due to Russia's fierce offensive.

There are reports that Russia is planning large-scale airstrikes again.

The U.S. Embassy in the capital, Kyiv, has closed its doors and evacuated its staff.

This is reporter Jo Bit-na from Berlin.

[Report]

On the morning of Nov. 20 local time, air raid sirens sounded for over two hours in the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv, and for more than ten hours in nearby areas.

On Nov. 17, Russia launched attacks across Ukraine, including Kyiv, using over 120 missiles and around 90 drones.

Local media reported that the frequency of airstrikes has increased in recent weeks following a large-scale attack two months ago.

[Olexandr/Staff of Ukrainian Human Rights Organization: "Unfortunately, the pain of war has struck our family. My room was destroyed by a missile strike."]

The U.S. Embassy in Kyiv has decided to close.

In a notice on Nov. 20 local time, it stated, "The U.S. Embassy in Kyiv has received specific information of a potential significant air attack," and instructed staff shelter in place.

The South Korean Embassy in Kyiv also notified its citizens to be cautious about safety.

However, the embassy has not closed.

[Volodymyr Zelensky/Ukraine President/Oct. 18: "Russia's targets were energy and key infrastructure."]

In preparation for winter power demand, Ukrainian authorities are implementing rolling blackouts and are concerned that this winter will be the most difficult of the past three years.

Russia has focused on striking Ukraine's power plants from March till August.

About 80% of thermal power plants have been destroyed, with three nuclear power plants accounting for 60% of electricity consumption.

President Zelensky claimed that Russia is targeting the three nuclear power plants.

It is widely analyzed that Russia will continue airstrikes on energy infrastructure during winter to demoralize the Ukrainian people and weaken their war capabilities.

[Anchor]

Russia's nuclear doctrine shift sparks global concerns over non-proliferation

Yes, as you just saw, with Ukraine being able to attack Russia with U.S.-made missiles, Russia is threatening to use nuclear weapons.

There are concerns that nuclear tensions may escalate.

Let's connect directly with reporter Jo Bit-na in Berlin.

Jo, Russia has revised its nuclear doctrine for the first time in four years and revealed new information today, right?

[Reporter]

Yes, Russia has lowered the threshold for nuclear use by revising its nuclear doctrine and has announced that it is mass-producing mobile nuclear defense facilities.

A research institute under the Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations stated that it has begun mass production of facilities that can protect people from shockwaves and radiation caused by nuclear explosions, as well as from conventional weapons for 48 hours.

The Kremlin announced today that the hotline between the U.S. and Russia's leadership for security emergencies is not being used.

The United States dismissed Russia's revised nuclear doctrine as a reiteration of its nuclear rhetoric and stated that it has no plans to take proportionate countermeasures.

[Anchor]

There are also concerns that this war could undermine the nuclear non-proliferation regime, aren't there?

[Reporter]

Of course, while Ukraine officially denies it, there are talks that in the worst-case scenario, the option of nuclear weapons may become unavoidable.

Ukraine, which possessed the world's third-largest nuclear arsenal during the Soviet era, gave up its nuclear weapons in exchange for security guarantees.

In 1994, Ukraine signed the Budapest Memorandum and transferred all its nuclear weapons, including over 1,800 warheads, to Russia.

In return, Russia, the U.S., and the U.K. promised to guarantee Ukraine's security, but it is assessed that this has not been upheld.

[Volodymyr Zelensky/Oct. 17 EU Summit: "What is the exit strategy? It is to have nuclear weapons to protect ourselves or to form some kind of alliance."]

Article 10 of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) allows for withdrawal in emergencies that jeopardize a country's supreme interests.

There have been reports that if the U.S. cuts military aid, Ukraine could develop an atomic bomb within months.

While the international community has been using the NPT to deter the use of nuclear weapons, the war in Ukraine is emerging as the biggest threat to the international non-proliferation regime.

This has been reported from Berlin.