The U.S. secretary of state told the Financial Times that pressure from Beijing dissuaded Vladimir Putin from using nuclear weapons.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has stated that Russia had seriously considered using nuclear weapons in Ukraine, but China dissuaded it from doing so. Source: Blinken's comments to the Financial Times Details: Blinken said the US was "very concerned" that Putin appeared to have at least contemplated the nuclear option.

Ob February 26, it will be the third anniversary of Russia's invasion of Ukraine and Russia has further increased its attacks on Ukraine's energy infrastructure. For this, it is using cluster munitions so as to cause maximum damage.

With soaring inflation and the ruble dropping to one of its lowest levels against the dollar since President Vladimir Putin launched his war in Ukraine, this year Russians will have to pay more for the dish, which is traditionally served alongside caviar and tangerines, before the New Year is toasted in.

The Kremlin on Saturday vowed "retaliation" for what it said was Ukraine's use of American-made Army Tactical Missile Systems against targets in a Russian border region.

Russian forces launched 81 drones at Ukraine overnight from the Russian cities of Bryansk, Kursk, Orel, and Primosk-Akhtarsk, Ukraine's Air Force said.