Overview

• Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova rejected Cold War comparisons, saying there is “no cold here; there is already fire.”
• She dismissed European accusations of NATO airspace intrusions, sabotage operations and hacking as unfounded and framed them as budget‑justifying provocations.
• Reporting says Russian forces are advancing in Ukraine, with Western officials citing alleged drone flights over NATO territory and Washington discussing deeper involvement, including strikes deeper into Russia.
• European leaders signaled a tougher line in Copenhagen, as Emmanuel Macron urged shooting down drones violating European airspace and targeting Russia’s shadow oil fleet for enforcement pressure.
• The conflict is described as Europe’s deadliest since World War II and the most severe Russia‑West confrontation since the Cuban Missile Crisis, keeping escalation risks high.