Russia threatens WWIII and a US base attack as Biden stays silent and Kamala Harris vacations in Hawaii

The White House organized a low key and ordinary public schedule Thursday while VP Harris vacations in Hawaii – even amid startling public Kremlin warnings to target a U.S. base in Poland and powerful missile strikes on Ukraine.

The escalations have been piling up in Russia’s war on Ukraine, with devastating air strikes on infrastructure and counterstrikes with long-range weapons inside Russia, followed by more threats from the Kremlin and loose talk about nuclear weapons.

That was followed by horrifying images of what Kiev says were warheads from a Russian intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) or advanced rocket raining down on the Ukrainian city of Dnipro this morning. 

Russia was back to nuclear sabre rattling on Thursday, saying a new U.S. ballistic missile defense base in Poland would compound threats. It is part of a NATO missile shield that opened Nov. 13 that is meant to protect U.S. allies.

‘This is another frankly provocative step in a series of deeply destabilising actions by the Americans and their allies in the North Atlantic Alliance in the strategic sphere,’ said Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova.

‘This leads to undermining strategic stability, increasing strategic risks and, as a result, to an increase in the overall level of nuclear danger.’

Russian President Vladimir Putin has been raising threats with Kremlin statements mentioning nuclear danger as Russia’s war in Ukraine escalates

Polish foreign ministry spokesman Pawel Wronski hit back at ‘threats.’

‘It is a base that serves the purpose of defense, not attack,’ he said. ‘Such threats will certainly serve as an argument to strengthen Poland’s and NATO’s air defences, and should also be considered by the United States.’

The Biden Administration is still not officially confirming reports that it authorized Ukraine to use long-range ATACMs to strike inside Russia. Kiev on Wednesday fired missiles in Russia’s Kursk region, where it has seized territory that Moscow is vowing to claw back, bolstered by North Korean soldiers the Washington says is aiding the fight.

Ukraine reportedly also used British-supplied Storm Shadow missiles, although UK Defense Secretary John Healey isn’t confirming it.

President Biden, who dodged questions about Russia and Ukraine on his trip to South America, is back to holding public events at the White House.

He hosts the the NBA’s 2024 champion Boston Celtics in the Rose Garden.

His morning bill signing, of the Congenital Heart Futures Reauthorization Act of 2024, is closed to the press.

On Friday evening, he and first lady Jill Biden hold a dinner on the South lawn. 

Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas and FBI Director Christopher Wray were no-shows at an annual Senate Homeland Security Committee hearing on threats to the homeland.

Panel chairman Sen. Gary Peters (D-Mich.) blasted their refusal to appear.

In Dnipro, regional governor Serhiy Lysak said the missile attack caused damage to an industrial enterprise and set off fires

Security camera footage out of the central-eastern city of Dnipro showed several projectiles streaking in and detonating in a series of violent, fiery explosions

President Joe Biden avoided questions from reporters amid the tense developments during his trip to South America

‘Americans deserve transparent, public answers about the threats we face. Secretary Mayorkas and Director Wray’s refusal to speak publicly about their department’s work will only increase the concerns that many Americans have about our nation’s security at a challenging time, flout the Committee’s efforts to conduct responsible oversight, and will deal a serious blow to trust in our government,’ he said. 

Florida Sen. Rick Scott, a Donald Trump ally, blasted the move. ‘Mayorkas must face the American people and answer for his historic failures that allowed for two assassination attempts on @realDonaldTrump & created a wide open border with terrorists, criminals & deadly drugs like fentanyl pouring into our communities. America is less safe because of him,’ he said.

Harris, meanwhile, has no public events scheduled, a bit more than two weeks after learning she lost the election.

 She arrived in Hawaii Tuesday with first gentleman Doug Emhoff. The FAA imposed temporary flight restrictions for ‘VIP Movement,’ and she is expected to stay a week. 

Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) told NBC Harris would be available to break ties if needed as Democrats try to push through Biden’s judicial nominees in the dying days of his administration.

The Federal Aviation Administration imposed temporary flight restrictions for “VIP Movement” beginning 7:15 p.m. Tuesday to noon Monday for Kona and Waimea.

A Harris aide told NBC News that she would be leaving today for a respite in Hawaii, and had delayed her trip if she was needed for votes in the Senate to confirm judges in what could be one last chance to defy President-elect Donald Trump “in what could be her last major act in office.”

Trump’s allies have been blasting the Biden administration’s moves in its last weeks. The administration is pushing arms packages out the door, reportedly authorizing longer-range strikes, and sending controversial anti-personnel landmines to Ukraine.  

‘Joe Biden authorizes Ukraine to launch missiles inside Russia – and then orders an evacuation of the U.S. Embassy in Kiev. Infuriating. Biden can’t even pick up the phone to speak to Putin,’ wrote Trump advisor and former U.S. Ambassador to Germany Richard Grenell.

Sen. Eric Schmitt (R-Mo.) posted on X, ‘Biden is seeking escalation in Ukraine in the waning days of his Admin. It’s breathlessly irresponsible.’

‘It’s the last gasp of a dying permanent Washington foreign policy blob that’s been wrong about just about everything for 20 years,’ he told Fox News.

House Republicans slammed the administration for publicly ducking the urgent developments. 

‘Guess she worked really hard trying to evade the press throughout the entire campaign, so she must be exhausted,’ quipped Rep. Nicole Malliotakis R-NY. ‘It is scary, particularly with all the issues that we’re facing, from the open border to world affairs and what you just said in terms of Putin, we don’t have leadership,’ she said.

‘Yeah, Kamala Harris has no relevancy to politics right now, unless you want to talk about a Senate that’s locked and she’s the deciding vote,’ said Rep. Rich McCormick (R-Ga.), even as she was the surprise leader of a poll on who Democrats 

Rep. Steve Scalise, the House majority whip, was predicting things would change when Trump, who has said he could end the war in a day, is the ‘new sheriff’ in town.

‘This kind of weak, soft approach to foreign policy has been going on for four years. it was rejected by the voters but President Trump’s going to come in with a very different mindset to confront to show American strength, and make sure that the bad guys know that there’s a new sheriff in town,’ he said.

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