"We also think there's a significant probability of Russia's economy slipping into a technical recession in the coming quarters."

Vladimir Putin has made the startling claim that the West is responsible for the conflict in Ukraine. The Russian dictator said he was doing all he could to stop the war despite continuing to launch missile and drone strikes on civilians. He also claimed Western people were friendly to him and Russia.

Russians have killed more than 15,400 Ukrainian civilians in its full-scale war on its neighbor, new data obtained by The Post shows. The stomach-churning death toll includes at least 569

Reports of the Russian president's demands have emerged following the summit in Alaska - as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy prepares to fly to Washington DC to see Donald Trump for the next stage of talks.

Last month was the deadliest since Putin launched his full-scale war on Ukraine three and a half years ago. In July alone, 286 civilians were killed and another 1,388, according to official data.