A year on from Russia’s invasion, the country and its government have not just survived. They’ve fought back

Putin’s latest speech on the war in Ukraine can be dismissed as mere sabre-rattling, an attempt to rally his fellow countrymen to the national flag

US president Hoe Biden’s visit to Ukraine has been seen as a rebuke to Vladimir Putin ahead of an expected address to the Russian nation.

War’s first year

Putin has unleashed private armies on Ukraine – and a man who could become a dangerous rival

While the nuclear risk may or may not happen, the Doomsday Clock has in recent years also been tracking the climate crisis with growing alarm, writes John Gibbons

The nation that went to the gates of Moscow in the Second World War has become as aggressive as a cuddly cat. But with its decision to send Leopard 2 battle tanks to Ukraine, Germany's 'culture of reticence', particularly with respect to Russia, may soon be a thing of the past

Minsk says the air drills are defensive and it will not enter the war

While a cold snap or delivery disruptions could still throw energy markets into disarray, optimism is growing that Europe can now make it through this winter and next

It's a dark mysterious place, the Tomnafinnoge wood. It’s near Shillelagh in County Wicklow, and it’s famous as one of the last remnants of the ancient oak forests that used to cover most of that part of the county.

Russia may no longer be the totalitarian society that my great-grandfather Nikita Khrushchev ruled six decades ago, but totalitarianism seemingly remains in its DNA

There is much happening in Ireland and around the world this year to look forward to and commemorate, or both 

I love a game that makes 9-year-olds giggle. Mikey is 9, and he introduced us to a card game on Christmas night called Kids Against Maturity.

Kyiv's mayor has insisted on putting up the city's Christmas tree this year and POLINA BASHKINA hears from families preparing to celebrate even amid the Russian bombardment

Russia’s ground invasion, which began on February 24, has lost momentum in recent months

What may seem a straightforward  investigation into corruption must be judged in the wider context of global instability

Putin has said that no dialogue will take place until the US and other allies recognise that annexed territories in Ukraine are now part of Russia, but his options continue to narrow

Zelenskyy is winning the land war, but Putin has the advantage in the air war, writes James Stavridis

The loss of Kherson City is a significant defeat for the Russians, but the execution of the apparently successful withdrawal shows the Russian Army is far from being a ‘spent force’, writes Dorcha Lee

People who believe in democracy will cheer the push back against Donald Trump, Jair Bolsonaro, and Vladimir Putin

Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu today ordered his troops to withdraw from the west bank of the Dnipro River in the face of Ukrainian attacks near the southern city of Kherson, in a potential turning point in the war.

Major shipping firms say the sanctions, without a cap below which Russian oil can be insured for shipping to non-EU countries, could paralyse global trade

It is increasingly imperative that the world will hold Russian president Vladimir Putin and his cronies to account.

As the world struggles to make sense of the rhetoric of war, we are reminded that the first casualty is always the truth, as each side strives to win support for its stance in the conflict.

Closure of an otherwise successful business — Bunnyconnellan’s in Cork — is a reminder of the challenges facing us all today

Xi Jinping

Both the US and the USSR had a ‘no first-strike policy’ with nuclear weapons during the Cuban missile crisis — but the new Russian nuclear doctrine allows for a first-strike option.

Kremlin watchers continue to try to figure out a faltering Putin’s next move and whether his threats of going nuclear are real or just more bluff and bluster, writes John Leicester

In the Battle of Stalingrad, 80 years ago this autumn, the Russians adopted a novel form of punishment for backsliders in their ranks.

The Russian leader has repeatedly made clear that any prospect of Ukraine joining the world’s largest military alliance is one of his red lines and it was among the justifications he has cited for his invasion

Calm heads are needed in the wake of the disruptions to the Nord Stream natural gas pipelines 

What are the odds of a cornered Putin opting for a nuclear response?

With Putin mired in the Ukraine war and facing unrest at home, it is time the West tried to negotiate a way back from the brink, writes Anatol Lieven

The far-right leader is a relatively inexperienced politician and may have little impact on European politics, writes Cas Mudde

Phased recruitment will be more about rebuilding capability and rotating exhausted combat troops than providing a fresh force capable of throwing Ukraine back on the defensive, analysts say

Russia has rounded up army reservists as it prepares to launch a new wave of attacks

What does the decision to call in reserves say about the state of the war, and how should the West react, asks James Stavridis

Failure to hold Russia accountable will 'send signal to powerful countries that they can prey on neighbours with impunity'

The Russian leader has no way to retire gracefully after all the damage he has done — this means he might yet drop a nuke, as he once again threatened this week

Mystery surrounds the continuing spate of sudden fatalities of prominent figures in Russia

Ukrainian armed forces’ successful counteroffensive has already shifted the strategic balance on the ground and the Kremlin is fighting a losing battle, writes Josep Borrell

For all the bluster and bravado from Red Square, the truth is slowly penetrating through the streets of Moscow and further afield.

Dozens of wrecked Russian military vehicles — armoured cars and tanks and artillery launchers — made up the defiant centrepiece of Ukraine's independence day in Kyiv

The empire is only alive while it expands, and Vladimir Putin has no intention of stopping