Overview

• Two US nuclear-powered submarines have been moved closer to Russian territorial waters following President Trump’s directive after provocative comments by Russian Security Council vice president Dmitry Medvedev.
• The Pentagon and US Navy declined to confirm details of the deployments and noted that not all US nuclear-powered submarines carry nuclear warheads.
• Russian deputy Leonid Ivlev and other Kremlin officials have publicly downplayed the submarines as non-threatening and highlighted Russia’s awareness of US deterrent postures.
• President Vladimir Putin announced that the first series of Oreshnik hypersonic missiles is in production and will be deployed to Belarus by year-end, extending Russia’s strike envelope into Central Europe.
• Trump’s August 8 ultimatum for a Ukraine ceasefire remains in force, with the prospect of secondary sanctions looming if Moscow fails to comply.