Putin is dangerously close to having to choose between feeding his people or buying weapons if the war with Ukraine continues, a leading Russia expert has warned.

Russia has found that expendable convict-soldiers can clear the way for regular troops, but these tactics come at a massive cost.

Russian ruler Vladimir Putin signed a series of laws that toughened penalties for armed rebellion and crimes against military service and approved a new strategy to counter extremism, which lists the elimination of threats emanating from Ukraine as one of its main tasks.