Muratov: Putin can no longer claim victory in Ukraine

On 13 August 2026, Muratov said Putin can no longer claim victory in Ukraine. La Repubblica quoted him as saying Putin cannot win the war but will keep escalating up to nuclear weapons.

Zelensky said Ukraine needs at least 5% of US Patriot stocks to get through the winter, and asked what would stop Putin from returning with 1 or 2 million more troops. He also told CNN he would need some time with his family once the war ends. Russia and Ukraine carried out a new exchange of the bodies of fallen soldiers.

Russian outlets gave their own account. TASS quoted a former spokesperson as saying Zelensky is trying to shift responsibility for a missile shortage onto Trump, Lenta.ru wrote that Zelensky admitted to receiving millions of calls with dubious offers, and TASS wrote, citing officials, that a political prisoner disappeared from a Ukrainian penal colony after interrogation.