Donald Trump is growing increasingly frustrated with Vladimir Putin and sees him as a bigger obstacle to peace in Ukraine than Volodymyr Zelensky, according to sources.

The US raid on Venezuela has exposed the limits of ties between Moscow and Caracas – while pointing the way for potential strategic opportunities for Russia’s Vladimir Putin in Washington’s new era of gunboat diplomacy.

Simon Migliano, who compiled the Top10VPN shutdown report, told me “Iran’s current nationwide blackout is a blunt instrument intended to crush dissent, starkly different from the sophisticated, slow-burn digital censorship we’re seeing in Russia.”

Russian TV presenter Vladimir Solovyov claimed on state television that the CIA was behind the alleged drone attack on Putin's residence

For the Russian leader, courting President Trump to secure a favorable resolution in Ukraine, and possibly more, is far more important.

That was the feverish message from Moscow on Tuesday, as it doubled down on accusing Ukraine of targeting a presidential palace with drones in a bid to disrupt peace talks. Kyiv has dismissed the allegation as a baseless lie aimed at building a pretext for the Kremlin to push ahead with its war.

President Vladimir Putin's launch of an Oreshnik hypersonic missile appears aimed at intimidating Ukraine and sending a signal of Russian military might to Europe and the United States at a crucial juncture in talks to end the war.

A nuclear-capable missile fired into Ukraine near Poland sent a message to Europe days after its leaders agreed to postwar security guarantees, Russian analysts said.

For the first time since returning to office, Donald Trump has swatted Vladimir Putin aside in a most humiliating fashion.

Vladimir Putin has been lying to Donald Trump and the world about the war in Ukraine, and his false claims have proven costly for both Ukraine and Russia.

President Vladimir Putin attended an early Wednesday Russian Orthodox Christmas service and hailed his troops' “holy mission” to defend Russia, pairing the ceremony with a holiday address on unity, charity and support for the armed forces.