Russian president Vladimir Putin has increased the number of his strategic nuclear bombers stationed at an airbase near the Finnish and Norwegian borders, satellite images show.

The move comes amid high tension over whether Putin plans to launch an atomic attack in Europe and his on-going invasion of Ukraine, which has suffered a string of embarrassing setbacks in recent months.

The Russian tyrant has gradually increased the number of strategic bombers at Olenya air base – from none on August 12, to four supersonic Tu-160s on August 21, to 11 now.

News of Putin’s increasing numbers of nuclear-capable bombers at the base came as…

  • Footage showed the moment an ammunition store inside Russia was hit by a Ukrainian strike in the latest attack within Vladimir Putin’s territory, in yet another embarrassing moment for the Kremlin;
  • Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky on Friday promised victory over Russia as he marked Defenders Day;
  • Norwegian police on Friday investigated reports of a drone that was spotted flying over the Kaarstoe gas processing plant in southwest Norway on Thursday, in potential violation of security protocols;
  • Elon Musk said he cannot afford to keep funding Starlink satellites – that have proved vital for Ukraine in defending itself against Russia, raising fears he may cut support to the systems, hindering the war effort;
  • Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko said he had placed his country in what he called a state of heightened terrorism alert because of border tensions, amid fears he could order his forces to join the war;
  • Damning evidence collected by the UN found Russian troops are using rape as a weapon of war against Ukrainians, with more than 100 verified cases of rape being found.