Russia has continued a bombardment on Ukraine's data centers and communications infrastructure as part of a fresh wave of attacks on the country's capital.
Ukraine's air force said Russian forces intensified strikes on Kyiv and other cities overnight by launching a mix of anti-ship and ballistic missiles, as well as dozens of jet-powered drones, which Ukrainian air defenses have struggled to intercept.
Russia's Defense Ministry said it struck several targets in Kyiv on Tuesday, including a locomotive depot housing a warehouse of FP-5 Flamingo ground-based missiles and their components. The attacks also hit the Bi-mobile data center, which Russia's Defense Ministry said was one of Kyiv's main internet exchange points, and the Parkovy data center.
Russia has stepped up its attacks on Ukraine's data centers and internet providers in recent days, seeking to disrupt the flow of information in the country. Ukrainian officials have expressed deep concern over the attacks, saying there is an urgent need for the country to be able to rapidly respond to missile and drone threats.
Ukraine, for its part, has sought to raise the cost of Russia's more than four-and-a-half-year war against it, targeting the country's oil refineries and logistics hubs. Meanwhile, NATO on Tuesday denounced Russia's nuclear threats after publicly acknowledging a tense exchange with Moscow.
The military alliance said it made clear to Moscow that it is a "defensive alliance" and that none of its activities or exercises "pose a risk to any part of Russia." 'A sign of desperation' NATO was responding to a warning issued by the Russian Embassy in Belgium on Monday that accused the alliance of escalating the situation around Kaliningrad, a small Russian exclave on the Baltic Sea.
The embassy said NATO's "reckless and irresponsible" approach regarding the strategic outpost, which is sandwiched between NATO member states Poland and Lithuania, heightens the risk of a direct military confrontation.
It added that Moscow was ready to use its entire military arsenal if NATO tried to block the region, according to Russian state news agency Tass. "We strongly denounce the threat of force, including any irresponsible nuclear rhetoric.
We call on Russia to end its unprovoked war in Ukraine," a NATO spokesperson said in a statement shared with CNBC. "Russia's use of hybrid tactics is a sign of desperation. But we will not be dissuaded from our support to Ukraine. We have what it takes to defend every inch of Allied territory and remain strong, ready, and able to counter any threat," they added.
The exchange reaffirmed the deep tensions in diplomatic relations since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in early 2022