Alexei Zhuravlev's explosive statement, which included nuclear threats against Russia's enemies, comes at a time when reports indicate the Kremlin believes a confrontation with the United States is inevitable,

With the sides far apart on key issues as Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine approaches the four-year mark, analysts say the deadliest conflict in Europe since World War II is unlikely to end in 2026.

Even at the height of their Cold War nuclear rivalry, the United States and the Soviet Union thrashed out a series of treaties to keep the arms race from spiralling out of control.

A report from the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) thinktank reveals how intelligence officers linked to the Kremlin are wooing unwitting individuals - including Ukrainians - online to destabilise Western powers.

The Russian Defense Ministry said on Friday that it had struck western Ukraine with a nuclear-capable intermediate-range ballistic missile, an ominous warning by President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia as U.S.-led negotiations to end the war have gained steam.

As protests rock Iran and Washington keeps up pressure, Tehran’s powerful partners appear willing to offer words, trade and limited assistance, but not the kind of military backing that could draw them into a wider war.