The gap between Russia and the West has pushed Moscow to prioritize unconventional capabilities, a top Norwegian military official said.

MOSCOW, Feb 24 (Reuters) - Russia accused Ukraine on Tuesday of trying to obtain a nuclear weapon with help from Britain and France, an allegation Kyiv called an absurd lie. A French foreign ministry spokesperson said the allegation was "blatant disinformation".

Vladimir Putin's war against Ukraine is a "triple failure for Russia", President Emmanuel Macron said on Tuesday to mark the four-year anniversary of Russia's invasion of the Western-backed country.

About half of the country’s federal budget goes toward the fight in Ukraine, money that does little to support its long-term development.

Russian officials claim that Moscow has allegedly suffered a Ukrainian drone attack, with flight restrictions introduced at all four of the city's airports. Source: Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin; Russian Ministry of Defence;

Britain has been accused of involvement in an assassination attempt in Moscow which left a senior Russian military intelligence chief seriously wounded

India has seized three sanctioned shipping tankers that were operating off its coast. They were part of the “shadow fleet” fueling Russia’s war against Ukraine. The seizure is a welcome break with India’s long-standing reliance on Russian oil and thus its contributions to Moscow’s war chest.

Ukraine forces have struck what is said to be a major missile factory deep inside Russia, as Moscow keeps up heavy drone attacks on Ukraine.