For Ukrainians, Russia is now Tolkien’s Mordor
Magic in The Lord of the Rings sagas mirrors today’s powerful technology – and the dark impulses it can serve.
ByVladimir Putin
Vladimir Putin is the president of Russia and has been the country’s leader, with an interlude as prime minister, for more than 22 years. Putin was born in 1952, studied law at Leningrad State University and served for 15 years as a KGB officer before becoming a politician in 1991.
Leader: Vladimir Putin’s game of nuclear blackmail
By threatening a nuclear strike Russia hopes to bully the West into reducing support for Kyiv. This is a perilous…
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Vladimir Putin’s land grab is an act of desperation
By annexing parts of Ukraine, the Russian president has created a perilous situation. But will it do anything to salvage…
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How should the US respond to a Russian nuclear attack?
We are entering the most dangerous nuclear crisis since the 1980s.
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What could happen if Russia used nuclear weapons?
Russia’s state Duma has approved the annexation of Ukrainian regions, will Putin now use nuclear weapons to hold these areas?
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Ukraine’s army makes a mockery of Vladimir Putin’s annexation
As the Russian president addressed the country’s elite, Ukrainian forces encircled Lyman, a key hub in Donbas.
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Will Vladimir Putin’s mobilisation backfire?
Russia’s already demoralised force will be joined by fearful men, just pressed into service, with little to offer and much…
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Ukrainians stand firm in the face of Putin’s threats
As Russia escalates its war efforts with a partial mobilisation, kamikaze drones and threats of nuclear force, many in Ukraine…
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The unravelling of Vladimir Putin
Nuclear threats and mobilisation cannot hide the Russian president’s weakening grip on power.
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Anti-war protests in Russia accompany Putin’s “partial mobilisation”
Signs of dissatisfaction in the country are increasing.
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The war in Ukraine has tipped the balance of power in Russia’s relationship with India
India has increased its influence by criticising Moscow while continuing to do business with it.
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Vladimir Putin’s draft order prompts panic in Russia
As men flee the country, the EU should welcome them.
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Is Putin going to start a nuclear war?
Under pressure in Ukraine, the Russian president’s threat is a deterrent.
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The dangerous logic behind Vladimir Putin’s speech
The Russian president has announced a mobilisation of army reserves and threatened nuclear force, ahead of “sham” votes in occupied…
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As an Armenian, I see history being repeated in the actions of Azerbaijan
Hostile neighbours, fickle allies and global indifference haunt Armenia’s past, and threaten its future.
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The UN General Assembly will underline Russia’s isolation
Even the countries Russia hoped it could pivot to after wrecking relations with the West are unsettled.
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Where does Putin go from here?
Russia’s flailing offensive in Ukraine exposes the failings of the strongman system he has built.
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“For the long haul”: Ursula von der Leyen doubles down on support for Ukraine
In her state of the union speech, the European Commission president guaranteed the EU would fight on against Russia.
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Why China won’t ditch Vladimir Putin
The first meeting between the Russian and Chinese leaders since the start of the war in Ukraine will be closely…
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Ukraine’s offensive has left Putin with few options
Now that Ukrainian forces have taken more territory in five days than Russia did in five months, the Kremlin can…
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