Ever since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine on 24 February 2022, the White House's aim has been to give Kyiv as much support as possible without getting dragged into direct conflict with Moscow, something that would risk being a precursor to the unthinkable: a catastrophic nuclear exchange.

Ukraine’s resistance to Russia’s invasion keeps crossing President Vladimir Putin’s red lines. Kyiv’s lightning incursion into Kursk in western Russia this month slashed through the reddest line of all - a direct ground assault on Russia - yet Putin’s response has so far been strikingly passive and muted,

Mr Putin did not address reports of Russia recently acquiring new ballistic missiles from Iran to likely use them in the war against Ukraine. On the war front, Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed Russia’s counter-offensive in Kursk, stating that Kyiv had anticipated Russian forces to fight back.

Things are not exactly going to plan for Moscow in the Arctic—an area that is a strategic military region for Russia and has significant economic potential that could help Russia in propping up its war economy.

Russia will be ready to use the most powerful and destructive weapons in the event of attacks on Russian Federation territory with Western long-range weapons, said Vyacheslav Volodin, chairman of the State Duma.