Russian President Vladimir Putin vowed Thursday to fulfill Moscow’s goals in Ukraine and sternly warned the West against deeper involvement in the fighting, saying that such a move is fraught with the risk of a global nuclear conflict.

Putin’s blunt warning came in a state-of-the-nation address ahead of next month’s election he’s all but certain to win, underlining his readiness to raise the stakes in the tug-of-war with the West to protect the Russian gains in Ukraine.

A wildfire spreading across the Texas Panhandle became the largest in state history Thursday, growing to nearly 1,700 square miles (4,400 square kilometers) of scorched rural ranchlands and destroyed homes.

The Smokehouse Creek Fire has merged with another blaze and is 3% contained, according to the Texas A&M Forest Service.

The fire’s explosive growth slowed as snow fell and winds and temperatures dipped, but it was still untamed and threatening more death and destruction. It is the largest of several major fires burning in the rural Panhandle section of the state. It has also crossed into Oklahoma.

Minnesota’s budget outlook has improved, officials said Thursday, with a slightly bigger surplus forecast for the current budget that will give the Legislature a little more breathing room this session.

Minnesota Management and Budget said the current two-year budget period, which runs through June 2025, is now expected to end with a surplus of just over $3.7 billion. That’s an increase of more than $1.3 billion from the last forecast, which was released in December. That compares with an overall state budget of $72 billion.

Gwynn Vang can be reached at vang5129@stthomas.edu.