After a string of speeches from both sides in the run up to the Ukraine invasion anniversary, the situation seems to be heating up. Amidst the striking images of President Biden’s surprise visit to Kyiv, and his follow up speech in Warsaw where he raised the loud slogans “Kyiv stands strong” and “Ukraine will never be a victory for Russia,” Putin was also busy in commemorating the “anniversary” with back to back three retaliatory speeches in three days in which he announced the unilateral suspension of the New START treaty as well as announced to deploy new Sarmat multi-warhead intercontinental ballistic missiles this year.

A Russian strike on the southern Ukrainian city of Kherson on Saturday left three people dead and two others wounded, authorities said.