Russia pounded Ukraine's power grid in the largest air strike in almost three months on Sunday in a move that Ukraine's ambassador to the United Nations in Geneva said showed Putin's determination to continue the 1,000 day-old war and "plunge Ukraine into darkness and cold".

India and Russia plan President Putin's visit, likely in 2025, amid ongoing Ukraine conflict and Modi's mediation efforts, says Kremlin.

Putin’s invasion of Ukraine was a land grab and meant to be over within a matter of days. Almost three years later, and Russia controls just 20% of Ukrainian land. That rate of progress is embarrassingly slow for Putin, a leader who aspires to recreate the old Soviet Union and rule over the world’s second largest army.