War in Ukraine

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.

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?

While Russia outmatches Ukraine in military size and industrial weight, Ukraine’s resistance has endured for nearly four years thanks to the ability to stay technologically one step ahead, building tools that replace soldiers in the most dangerous places. That edge is now being challenged as Russia adapts faster and scales wider. Which technologies may define Ukraine’s fight next year?

Hundreds of high-precision CNC machines from Chinese-German manufacturer PRIMINER have flowed into some of Russia’s most sensitive military-industrial plants—from drone makers to missile-system suppliers—even as sanctions were meant to shut those channels down, documents obtained through a UNITED24 Media investigation show.