War in Ukraine

At the height of its popularity, one of Ukraine’s fastest-growing and most secretive weapons manufacturers—Fire Point, known for successful long-range strikes, including the FP-1 drone and the pink-painted Flamingo missile—decides to set the record straight amid controversy and a growing rumor mill.

Despite years of bold claims from Moscow about next-generation weaponry, many of Russia’s most publicized military projects have failed to meet expectations. From advanced tanks kept away from the front to warships sunk by drones, these high-profile systems reveal the widening gap between Russian military propaganda and battlefield performance.

Having already breached global treaties by moving nuclear arms to Belarus, Russia is now signaling plans to deploy powerful ballistic missiles to Venezuela that can reach the US.

The sanctions imposed by Donald Trump, together with Ukrainian strikes on Russian oil refineries, are weighing heavily on the Russian economy and forcing officials to consider more drastic measures to keep it afloat.

As Russia faces mounting military and political setbacks, Russian leader Vladimir Putin is increasingly leaning on nuclear threats—from “unlimited-range” missiles to doomsday torpedoes—to project strength that experts say the Kremlin can no longer guarantee.

Olha Kurtmallaieva has been waiting for her husband to return from Russian captivity for over three and a half years. How does she navigate her life, and what gives her the strength to continue fighting?