Putin, Undeterred by Trump’s Words, Escalates His War Against Ukraine
The Russian leader is convinced that Moscow’s battlefield superiority is growing, and that Ukraine’s defenses may collapse in the coming months, according to people close to the Kremlin. Ukrainian officials collect pieces of an exploded Russian drone after multiple strikes on Kharkiv, Ukraine, on Monday. Credit... David Guttenfelder/The New York Times By Anton Troianovski and Paul Sonne July 9, 2025, The New York Times , Updated 10:41 a.m. ET President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia is brushing aside President Trump’s professed disappointment in him and is pushing ahead in Ukraine with renewed intensity, having already priced in the possibility of new U.S. pressure, analysts and people close to the Kremlin said. The Russian leader is convinced that Russia’s battlefield superiority is growing, and that Ukraine’s defenses may collapse in the coming months, according to two people close to the Kremlin, who insisted on anonymity to speak candidly...