The move to curb anti-corruption agencies risked "endangering the values of freedom, democracy in our country and the future of our children," one Ukrainian told NBC News.

Vasily Astrov, expert on the Russian economy at the Vienna Institute for International Economic Studies, told Newsweek that "inflation has really subsided markedly over the past few months. The outcome of this policy has been a marked cooling of domestic demand, with the welcome side effect of rapid disinflation.

The long-range Russian drones come in swarms each night, buzzing over Ukraine by the hundreds, terrorizing the population and attacking targets from the industrial east to areas near its western border with Poland.

Russian negotiators are flying to Turkey for the first peace talks with Ukraine in more than seven weeks, Russian news agencies reported on Wednesday.

Kyiv said the French fighter, one of six in its air force, was performing a flight mission but was not shot down by Russian fire.

Russian President Vladimir Putin is stalling over a ceasefire. Meanwhile, Trump has changed his mind about sending weapons to Ukraine.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright said on Fox News on Tuesday that sanctioning Russian oil to end the Ukraine war is a "very real possibility."