Putin Crony Dmitry Medvedev Suggests Ukraine Won’t Exist in 2 years; Ukraine ignores ‘surrender or die’ ultimatum as Severodonetsk siege starts; Ukraine says Russia eyes a ‘vast area from Warsaw to Sofia’; Group of NATO leaders pledge heavy weapon support for Ukraine (HOW ABOUT LESS PLEDGING and MORE DELIVERING), LIVE UPDATES and MORE

Putin crony Dmitry Medvedev suggests Ukraine won’t exist in 2 years:

One of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s closest allies ominously suggested that Ukraine might not exist in two years’ time.

Dmitry Medvedev, former president and prime minister of the Russian Federation, who currently serves as deputy head of the country’s Security Council, took to his Telegram channel Wednesday to muse about Ukraine’s attempts to secure gas imports from its Western allies.

“I saw a report that Ukraine wants to receive from its overseas masters [liquified natural gas] as part of a land-lease plan with payment for delivery after 2 years,” Medvedev wrote. “Otherwise the country will freeze next winter.

“But here’s a question. Who said that after two years Ukraine will even exist on the world map?

“But it makes no difference to the Americans – they are so invested in their ‘anti-Russia’ project, that everything else is trivial to them.” —>READ MORE HERE

Ukraine ignores ‘surrender or die’ ultimatum as Severodonetsk siege starts:

Ukraine resisted a Russian ultimatum to surrender Severodonetsk on Wednesday, as enemy forces stormed the ruined eastern city from multiple directions in an attempt to pin the remaining Ukrainian fighters and civilians in an industrial area on the western side of town.

“Our military is holding back the enemy from three sides at once,” regional Luhansk Governor Serhiy Haidai said. “The enemy is advancing because of significant advantage in artillery and people, but the Ukrainian army is holding on to its positions in the city.”

The report came a day after a Russian ultimatum to the city’s last defenders to “surrender or die.”

Authorities said some 500 civilians — including about 40 children — were sheltering alongside Ukrainian troops in the Azot chemical plant, hiding out from a nearly constant barrage of Russian artillery. —>READ MORE HERE

Follow links below to +++++relevant+++++ and related stories:

+++++Russia-Ukraine News LATEST UPDATES: (REUTERS) (AP) (NY POST) and (WSJ)+++++

+++++Ukraine says Russia eyes a ‘vast area from Warsaw to Sofia’+++++

+++++Group of NATO leaders pledge heavy weapon support for Ukraine+++++

Zelenskiy tells Germany to give Ukraine support, worry less about Russia

Howitzers soon to be ready for use in Ukraine, Germany’s defense minister says

No way out for Ukrainians in embattled city as Russian forces destroy last bridge

Macron: NATO troops in Romania are a “powerful deterrent”

Moroccan sentenced to death in Donetsk has Ukrainian nationality and isn’t a mercenary, father says

Russia bans UK journalists, defense officials from entering

Two former US servicemen captured in Ukraine after ‘absolutely crazy’ mission: report

Fears of Renewed Russian Strikes Hang Over Return to Kharkiv

Treasury to Extend Sanctions Carve-Out for Russian Energy Payments

Russian Forces Destroy Last Bridge to Key Eastern Ukrainian City

Source