Britain is on a “collision course” with Russia, the head of the Army has warned. General Sir Roly Walker, Chief of the General Staff, claimed Moscow was building bigger and more lethal armed forces to prepare for a wider war with Nato.

LONDON, Feb 24 (Reuters) - Russia's oil pipeline monopoly Transneft has cut crude intake into its system by some 250,000 barrels per day after a Ukrainian drone attack on a key pumping station serving major oil hubs and ports on Monday,

The energy war between Russia and Ukraine has entered a new phase of more systematic aerial attack on Ukraine's grid and Russia's oil infrastructure.

Among the most difficult points are the fate of Ukraine's partially occupied eastern Donbas region and the nature of post-war Western security guarantees for Ukraine.

About half of the country’s federal budget goes toward the fight in Ukraine, money that does little to support its long-term development.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov accused Ukraine of trying to "disrupt the negotiation process" searching for an end to the war.

Russia has occupied about 20% of Ukrainian territory since illegally annexing Crimea in 2014, but its gains after the Feb. 24, 2022, invasion have been slow. NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte this month likened Moscow's advance to "the speed of a garden snail.

The gap between Russia and the West has pushed Moscow to prioritize unconventional capabilities, a top Norwegian military official said.