Talks between the two countries on strategic stability have frozen since Vladimir Putin’s forces invaded Ukraine eight months ago – even though the New Start nuclear arms reduction treaty remains in place. Now, Russian newspaper Kommersant has reported that the talks may take place in the Middle East, adding that Moscow no longer considers Switzerland, the traditional venue, to be neutral after imposing sanctions on Russia over Ukraine. Meanwhile, Ukraine accused Russia of looting empty houses in the southern city of Kherson – as well as occupying them with plainclothes troops to prepare for street fighting. Ukraine’s military said Russian forces, “disguised in civilian clothes, are occupying civilian facilities and reinforcing positions inside to conduct street battles.” It said in a briefing on Monday that Russian forces were “engaged in looting and theft from residents and from infrastructure sites and transporting equipment, food and vehicles into the Russian Federation.” Russia has ordered civilians out of Kherson in recent days in anticipation of a Ukrainian offensive to retake it. It comes as the city, which has a population of about 300,000, has been left cold and dark after power and water were cut off in the surrounding area for the past 48 hours, according to both sides. Russian officials blamed Ukrainian “sabotage” for the blackouts, while Ukrainian officials said the Russians had dismantled 1.5 kilometers of power lines. Use Chrome browser for more accessible video player 3:44 Russia does not have “air superiority” Elsewhere, about 100 disabled children were taken from a medical facility in Dnipriani in the Kherson region of the Moscow region, Ukraine’s military said. Patients from a nursing home in Kakhovka have also been moved as Russian forces occupy those facilities, it said. Ukrainian forces around the recently liberated village of Nova Kamyanka in the Kherson region have counted four Russian airstrikes in the area. The recapture of Kherson has been the main focus of Ukraine’s counteroffensive in the south, which has accelerated since early October. Other key developments:• Ukraine has received its first delivery of NASAMS and Apside air defense systems, the country’s defense minister said• North Korea denies having arms deals with Russia after the US said it appears to be supplying the Kremlin with artillery shells• Putin said 50,000 Russian troops called up as part of his mobilization were now fighting with combat units in Ukraine, Interfax news agency reported• Russia’s Defense Ministry took the rare step of denying claims that a marine infantry unit had suffered catastrophic casualties and equipment in a futile offensive in eastern Ukraine Read more: What are Iranian kamikaze drones and will the US send the deadly MQ-9 Reaper? Why Ukraine is Different from the Conflicts of Previous Decades Meet the Georgian Legion Fighting Against Russia’s Invasion Image: Firefighters work at the site of a damaged residential building after Russian shelling in liberated Lyman, Donetsk region Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Monday that the Donetsk region in the east remains the “epicenter” of fighting, claiming that hundreds of Russians are being killed every day. The towns of Bakhmut and Avdiivka in the Donetsk region are considered to be experiencing the heaviest fighting. In his late-night speech on Monday, Mr Zelensky added that Russia must be forced into “genuine” peace talks. Russia has suffered major setbacks in the east and south in recent months and has lost all the territory it seized in northern Ukraine in the weeks after the February invasion. President Putin responded by calling up hundreds of thousands of reservists and announcing the annexation of occupied territories.
