Today on “Post Reports,” we cover the latest news from the war in Ukraine – and talk about why Putin is increasingly isolated, even among Russia’s elite. 

Over the weekend, a Russian missile struck a nine-floor apartment complex in central Ukraine. The timing, on a weekend afternoon, meant many people were at home at the time of the strike. Dozens of people were killed. The move seems to signal a new level of desperation from Russia – and reporter Catherine Belton says Russian President Vladimir Putin is increasingly isolated as the war grinds on, from the West but also his own allies among Russia’s elite. 

Putin on Tuesday used new government data to paint a surprisingly rosy picture of Russia’s economy. “The actual dynamics of the economy turned out to be better than many expert forecasts,” he said during a virtual meeting on the economy.

“It's not really clear what he's talking about because no one really knows what actually the ruble’s value is anymore. It’s being artificially set by the central bank,” Belton says.

Today on “Post Reports,” we dive into Catherine’s reporting on the gulf emerging between Putin and some of Russia’s elite – leaving the leader increasingly friendless and increasingly paranoid.