Russia's political, economic isolation deepens

It was reported on Monday that Russia's political and economic isolation deepened as its forces met stiff resistance in Ukraine's capital and other cities. President Vladimir Putin put Russia's nuclear deterrent on high alert on Sunday in the face of a barrage of Western-led reprisals. In the wake of his nuclear remarks, West pledged more sanctions that would cripple Russia's economy. Moreover, the NATO forces claimed to repel Russian ground forces' endeavors to capture urban centers.