With a stalemate in Ukraine and discontent at home, Putin seems ready to escalate his war (opens in new tab)

Russian President Vladimir Putin, rear center, attends a ceremony to lay flowers at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier by the Kremlin wall in Moscow, Saturday, May 9, 2026, during celebrations of the 81st anniversary of the Soviet Union's victory over Nazi Germany during the World War II. (Alexander Nemenov/Pool Photo via AP, File)2026-05-29T06:03:12Z Facing a battlefield stalemate in Ukraine and growing war fatigue among Russians, appears ready to try to change the narrative around the conflict...