Putin warns of economic retaliation as Ukraine reinforces 300-kilometre front line

Russian President Vladimir Putin warned that Ukraine has "opened Pandora's box" through strikes against Russian economic infrastructure, threatening retaliatory strikes targeting Ukraine's most vulnerable economic sectors.

Meanwhile, open-source intelligence analyst Clément Molin reported that Ukrainian forces have constructed an extensive 300-kilometre defensive belt from Izium to Orikhiv. The fortified network incorporates barrier corridors, anti-tank ditches, and dozens of reinforced strongpoints designed to impede Russian military advances.

On Russia's home front, investigative journalist Andrei Soldatov stated that the Federal Security Service (FSB) has accumulated unprecedented domestic authority since 2022. According to Soldatov, the Kremlin has become increasingly dependent on the security agency to manage wartime intelligence, suppress domestic opposition, and secure regime stability.

Sources: BalkanWeb, Gazeta Tema, Koha