In the United States and Europe, there is growing uncertainty about how to counter Putin’s aggression without stoking a direct conflict with Russia.

President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday that Russia was ramping up drone production by around ten times to nearly 1.4 million this year to ensure the Russian armed forces grab victory in Ukraine. "In total,

Since Russia's military intervention in Ukraine began in February 2022, the conflict has heavily relied on artillery and drone strikes along a 1,000-km (620-mile) front, involving hundreds of thousands of soldiers.

The Kremlin has had little success invoking its nuclear arsenal to deter Ukraine and the West from using new tactics to stop Russia’s invasion. That may be changing.

A close ally of President Vladimir Putin warned Western governments on Thursday that a nuclear war would ensue if they gave the green light for Ukraine to use long-range Western weapons to strike targets deep inside Russia.