Putin says no need for martial law in Russia after surge of cross-border attacks

Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Tuesday that he saw no need to introduce martial law in Russia, amid a recent uptick in Ukrainian drone and artillery strikes and raids by ground forces on Russian territory.

In a televised meeting with military bloggers after weeks of bombardment of the border region of Belgorod and a wave of drone strikes on Moscow itself, Putin acknowledged that Ukrainian attacks on Russian territory were a problem and that Russia needed to defend its own borders better.