Moscow – The diplomatic stakes in the Ukraine war have been raised significantly, with Russian President Vladimir Putin warning that Moscow’s relationship with Washington would be “destroyed” if the US supplies Tomahawk missiles to Kyiv.
This ultimatum was delivered during a meeting where Putin also touted his military’s progress. He claimed that the use of such advanced weapons would be impossible without direct US military involvement, framing any such supply as a direct entry into the conflict and a “qualitatively new stage of escalation.”
Alongside this geopolitical threat, Putin announced that Russian forces have expanded their control in Ukraine, capturing nearly 5,000 square kilometers of territory in 2025. He asserted that Moscow now possesses the “complete strategic initiative,” signaling a belief that Russia is winning the war.
From Ukraine, a different kind of alert was sounded. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy accused Russia of deploying its oil tanker fleet for covert missions. He claimed the vessels are being used for intelligence gathering and sabotage, a serious allegation of hybrid warfare.
Zelenskyy, however, remained resolute. He stated that Ukraine is collaborating with its partners to address this issue, expressing confidence in their collective ability to halt Russia’s alleged clandestine maritime operations. “It is entirely possible to stop this,” he affirmed.
5