Cornered, Vladimir Putin plans to escalate his war
<img style="float: right" src="https://i.ds.at/BjWgKg/rs:fill:150:0/plain/lido-images/2026/09/03/2d89cb90-6d0c-44e7-847c-9e55df04c63b.jpg">His refusal to back down is rooted in Russia’s gangster politics