War in Ukraine

“Two girls died,” says Slava, a Kherson local who survived a Russian drone attack, his scarred hands a painful reminder. He glances at the bus stop where we’ve paused, and twitches. “Let’s move,” he says. Bus stops, he knows too well, are prime targets.

Viktor Bout, known as the “Merchant of Death,” spent decades fueling global conflicts with Soviet-made weapons, making him one of the most prolific international arms dealers. After serving a lengthy prison term, he’s been released—and now the Russian war profiteer is back in business. But who is Bout, and what about his murky past gave him this notorious title?

Ukraine is in advanced negotiations with Western allies to secure Swedish Gripen fighter jets, aiming to further strengthen its air superiority in the fight against the Russian invasion. What is the Gripen and what can it do?

Profiting from the brutal killings of Ukrainians, Russia’s top pro-war Telegram channel sells “exclusive” footage of Russian atrocities. What do we know about the channel and who cashing in on this blood money?

Russian forces keep using marine mammals in the Black Sea as military weapons against Ukrainian drones. The Soviet-inherited programs are akin to animal cruelty and endanger dolphin species on the brink of extinction. The recent death of Hvaldimir, Russia’s famous beluga whale spy, shows that no animal is safe in Russian hands.

Russia is all-in on its war economy, boosting its military budget by a staggering $29 billion for 2025, showing no signs of slowing down until at least 2027.