Vladimir Putin asked “And did you see polar bears?” after a participant mentioned the North Pole

During a televised meeting with Russian teachers before the new school year, President Vladimir Putin, after a participant mentioned a North Pole trip, turned to an Arctic predator-prey scenario and linked it to Moscow’s war in Ukraine. He described orcas overwhelming polar bears, a phenomenon experts say has never been documented and has been amplified by fake AI videos. Ukrainian state media said the remarks reflected a leader detached from reality. The comments landed as Western officials braced for possible Russian escalation, and after CIA Director John Ratcliffe visited Moscow. Russia then released footage of a long-range missile test.