Washington, Sept. 2 -- Russian President Vladimir Putin has vowed to execute further strikes against Ukraine while reaffirming backing for Iran amid its ongoing conflict involving the United States, even as European nations escalate pressure on Moscow to suspend its military campaign.

Following the conclusion of the two-day Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit in Kyrgyzstan, Putin stated that Russian armed forces received directives to conduct large-scale strikes targeting Ukraine's energy infrastructure, according to The New York Times.

He further asserted that Moscow's operations are threatening Kyiv's agricultural exports and triggering financial pressures, noting, "I'm not saying we'll collapse the economy there, but it's ...