The Russian economy has been dealing with growing headwinds this year: unruly inflation, a ballooning budget deficit and shrinking energy revenues. But analysts say the Kremlin could weather the storm for many more years.

Putin said at an annual meeting with top military officers that Moscow will move to expand a “buffer security zone” along the border.

Ukraine also claimed to have struck a Russian warship and drilling facilities in the Caspian Sea during Kyiv ’s latest maritime blitz against Putin’s ailing war machine. Russian forces crossed the border into Ukraine’s Sumy region and took about 50 residents from a village back into Russia, Ukrainian media quoted the military as saying on Sunday.

Putin claims no "willingness from Ukraine" to negotiate a peace deal as he touts battlefield gains, and Kyiv claims a brazen strike on a ship far from Russia.

S.C., said on NBC News' "Meet the Press" that the U.S. negotiators were at risk of "overestimating" Putin's willingness to end the war.

The US is preparing a fresh round of sanctions on Russia’s energy sector to increase the pressure on Moscow should President Vladimir Putin reject a peace agreement with Ukraine, according to people familiar with the matter.

He declared that Russian forces have “fully seized strategic initiative” and would make more gains by the year’s end.

Russian leader Vladimir Putin says European and Ukrainian changes to US peace proposals are hindering chances for a deal. DW Russia analyst Konstantin Eggert explains what the Kremlin's message signals about the negotiations.