Putin visits military installation, vowing to take more of Ukraine
The Russian president donned military fatigues as he tried to counter a narrative that Moscow is stumbling in its war after Ukrainian drone strikes set off an acute fuel shortage. Today at 4:31 p.m. EDT Russian President Vladimir Putin, shown speaking at a command post in 2025, visited the front line again on Friday in an effort to challenge the narrative that Ukraine holds any military advantage. (AP) By Mary Ilyushina Russian President Vladimir Putin made a rare frontline appearance late Friday, donning green military fatigues, to claim breakthroughs in Russia’s war effort and counter what he called Ukraine’s “information and propaganda operation on illusory battlefield results.” In recent weeks, Kyiv appears to have gained momentum through medium- and long-range drone strikes that have hammered occupied Crimea and damaged oil refineries and other energy infrastructure in Russia, leading to gasoline shortages. That perception of success even drew rare praise from President Donald Tr...