On the 181st day of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, tensions are escalating. Russia accuses Ukrainian special services of murdering Daria Dugina, the daughter of a Russian ultra-nationalist ideologist. The UN Secretary-General on Monday called for an end to “the brandishing of nuclear weapons”, saying the world was at a “moment of maximum danger”. A high-ranking Russian diplomat ruled out a diplomatic solution to end the war in Ukraine.

Highlights of Tuesday, the 181st day of the Ukrainian war, LIVETEXT:

05:55 ​Zelensky: The total number of various cruise missiles that Russia has used against us is approaching 3,500.

00:42 Russia’s allies are increasingly creating a security profile, an alternative profile of Vladimir Putin

00:14The United States also does not agree with the cancellation of visas for Russians, as requested by Ukraine

23:35Dmytro Kuleba clarified which two EU countries refuse to provide arms to Ukraine

Summary of the most important events in the last 24 hours

• Russia accused Ukrainian special services of murdering the daughter of Russian ultra-nationalist ideologist Daria Dugina. The FSB of Russia has published information and a video about the alleged perpetrator of the attack.

• UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has called for an end to the “swinging of the nuclear sword”, saying the world is at a “moment of maximum danger”. The UN chief called the situation at Europe’s largest Zaporizhzhya NPP critical. Shelling and fighting in the area continues.

• Ukrainian soldiers who were captured after fighting for Mariupol accused the Russian military of torture during their captivity.

• The only bridge across the Dnipro River in the Russian-controlled city of Kherson was hit by high-precision Himars missiles delivered by the United States, injuring 15 people, a source told the Russian news agency Interfax. The bridge is a key point for Russian military transport in the region.

• The US has rejected Ukraine’s call for a complete visa ban for Russians, saying Washington does not want to close the door on Russian dissidents and those vulnerable to human rights abuses. The EU’s chief diplomat, Josep Borrell, also stated that he opposes a complete ban on visas for Russians.

• The Chancellor of Germany is working on finding an alternative to Russian gas. Olaf Scholz wants to eliminate the country’s dependence on Russian gas and find other ways to supply energy. On Monday, Scholz met with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in Montreal.

• Ukraine has restored a railway connection with neighboring Moldova, which can transport 10 million tons of cargo per year, President Volodymyr Zelenskyi said. The 22 km (12 mi) line runs from western Ukraine to Moldova. The Minister of Infrastructure of Ukraine Oleksandr Kubrakov said that the connection will provide an alternative route from the Black Sea port of Odesa.

• A high-ranking Russian diplomat ruled out a diplomatic solution to end the war in Ukraine. Gennady Gatilov, Russia’s permanent representative to the UN in Geneva, told the Financial Times that there will be no direct talks between Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelensky, adding that Moscow expects a protracted conflict.