NATO's enhanced ground capabilities in the Baltic region spark Russian warnings as military focus intensifies on Kaliningrad and the strategic Suwalki Corridor

Putin’s refusal to compromise on Ukraine, say analysts, is a colossal error costing Russia regional influence, lucrative energy markets and its place in the world.

Daria Slavytska, 27, takes shelter inside a metro station with her 2-year-old son Emil during a Russian missile and drone strike, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Kyiv, Ukraine July 9, 2025. REUTERS/Alina Smutko

In the last two months, dozens of Russian regions have been hit by cellphone connectivity outages. Officials say such disruptions are needed to foil Ukrainian drone attacks.

WhatsApp should prepare to leave the Russian market, a lawmaker who regulates the IT sector said on Friday, warning that the messaging app owned by Meta Platforms was likely to be put on a list of restricted software.

Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova accused "neocolonial" Western powers of modern "robbery and looting" in the pursuit of rare earth metals to gain an advantage in the artificial intelligence race.

President Trump’s plan to impose a 100 percent tariff on Russian goods could raise the cost of urea, a key fertilizer in corn and other row crops.