"Putin Warns of Escalating Tensions and Stronger Alliances in Victory Speech"

Russian President Vladimir Putin warned the West that a direct conflict between Russia and NATO would bring the world one step closer to World War Three, emphasizing the risks of nuclear war. He expressed concern over NATO personnel already present in Ukraine and suggested the possibility of creating a buffer zone out of more Ukrainian territory to defend Russian territory. Putin also criticized Western involvement in the Ukraine war and dismissed U.S. elections as undemocratic, while addressing the fate of opposition leader Alexei Navalny.