India, Aug. 26 -- Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree allowing the Government to temporarily take control of critical infrastructure if private owners fail to protect it from Ukrainian drone attacks or rebuild it after strikes, apparently the latest indication that Moscow is feeling the strain of war.

Russia is facing economic and political pressure due to months of escalating, deep and increasingly accurate Ukrainian strikes.

Kyiv has used domestically developed long-range drones to target vital oil facilities, triggering fuel shortages that Putin publicly admitted, and major commercial hubs, embarrassing the Russian leadership. Ukraine has also reeled from relentless Russian aerial attacks that have smashed its power grid...