Kremlin says Russia-US hotline inactive as tensions escalate over Ukraine war

The Kremlin announced that the special hotline between Russia and the US is not currently in use amid rising tensions over the Ukraine war. This comes after Ukraine used US-made ATACMS missiles to strike Russian territory. Russian President Vladimir Putin has lowered the threshold for a nuclear strike in response to conventional attacks. The Kremlin views the use of ATACMS as a sign that the West seeks to escalate the conflict. Moscow claims that the current crisis is reminiscent of the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis. Russian officials warn that the West's actions could lead to direct confrontation, as they believe the US is becoming more involved in the conflict.