In 2026, the very definition of the collective West will change after Washington’s withdrawal from the “global policeman’s” role and the end of the “Western hegemony” over the rest of the world, according to Kyiv-based analyst Ihar Tyshkevich.

According to the sources, troops from Russia’s 80th brigade have taken part in combat operations in Ukraine and committed war crimes, including the execution of civilians — among them children — in Russian-occupied areas.

Russia disclosed several new figures on Wednesday, including how much it's specifically spent on the war and how many soldiers it hired in 2025.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in an address on Wednesday that Russia is preparing "the coming year as a year of war," despite ongoing peace talks.

Problems in the oil sector, a possible banking crisis and consumer woes lie ahead for Russia’s economy as four years of heavy military spending come due.

European nations are constructing a defensive wall along NATO's eastern frontier as Western intelligence agencies warn Russia could be militarily capable of attacking the alliance within five years. To assist with the construction of defensive works,

Russia’s war economy is not collapsing, but neither is it stable. It survives by pushing strain into the future – into labour markets, public finances and the everyday lives of Russian households.

Russia's defence ministry has proposed a medal for servicemen and civilians who helped to recover bodies from combat zones - a rare official indication that Russia is struggling to account for the missing nearly four years into the war with Ukraine.

The story of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has been one of upset expectations and wild swings in performance. At the start of the war, most of NATO saw Russia as an unstoppable behemoth, poised to quickly defeat Ukraine. Instead, Russia’s forces were ...