Putin Escalates War, Threatens Western Targets

Russia's President Delivers Annual State of the Nation Address

Russia's President Vladimir Putin has escalated the war in Ukraine and warned Western countries they're taking a "very serious and dangerous step" by supplying weapons to Kyiv.

In his annual state of the nation address, Putin accused Western countries of playing a "dangerous game" and warned he could provide weapons to countries willing to attack Western targets.

Putin's speech comes just two weeks before Russia's 2024 presidential election. He also announced a partial mobilization of reservists, which is expected to add hundreds of thousands of troops to Russia's forces in Ukraine.

The US, UK, and other Western nations have condemned Putin's threats and vowed to continue supporting Ukraine. They warned Russia will face severe consequences if it uses weapons against Western targets.