Russian officials have criticized the United States for providing Ukraine with longer-range missiles capable of precision strikes.
Russia's presidential spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said on Thursday that the US has become directly involved in the Russia-Ukraine conflict by supplying longer-range weapons, but this will not fundamentally change the outcome of Moscow's "special military operation."
The US government revealed on Wednesday that the Army Tactical Missile Systems, or ATACMS, had arrived in Ukraine. Washington sent the mid-range version of the weapon last year. US media report that the newly shipped missiles have nearly double the striking distance -- up to 300 kilometers.
The latest US military aid package signed by President Joe Biden on Wednesday allows the administration to seize Russian assets frozen by sanctions and use them to support Ukraine.
Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov told a state-run news agency that downgrading the level of Moscow's diplomatic relations with Washington is one option if Russian assets are confiscated.
Also on Thursday, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko accused Ukraine and the West of continuing provocative behavior.
Lukashenko, an ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin, said that dozens of Russia's most modern tactical nuclear weapons are already in place. The two leaders had agreed that the Kremlin would deploy the arms in Belarus.
The Ukrainian government announced on Wednesday that it will suspend the issuance of passports in foreign diplomatic missions to men aged 18 to 60 who live outside the country. The move is aimed at addressing a shortage of soldiers on the frontlines.
Ahead of the announcement, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said in a social media post, "Staying abroad does not relieve a citizen of his or her duties to the Homeland."
Next month, Ukraine will enact a revised law on military mobilization to prevent draft dodging. Men aged from 18 to 60 will be required to update their personal data with the military authorities within 60 days.