In a move laden⁢ with symbolism, Russian President Vladimir putin made an unannounced visit to Sarov, ‍a closed city in the Nizhny ‍Novgorod region with a pivotal role in the Soviet Union’s nuclear program. The timing, following former‍ US President Donald Trump’s recent ‍assertion that Ukraine faces insurmountable challenges in defeating Russia, is unlikely a coincidence.

sarov, historically known as⁤ “KB-11,” ⁢was the ‍birthplace of the Soviet atomic bomb. Putin’s presence there, accompanied by Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov, wasn’t