Russia

US Vice President JD Vance has warned that the United States could send troops to Ukraine and hit Russia with further sanctions if Vladimir Putin doesn't negotiate a peace deal...

A Russian drone attack has caused significant damage to the radiation shelter of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky says

Russia's military says it will retaliate against Ukraine after Kyiv fired a dozen missiles and launched a huge drone attack.

Moscow sees the use of the missiles, which have a range of up to 300km, as a major escalation.

Russia's Foreign Ministry says the Ursa Major, built in 2009, sank after an explosion ripped through its engine room and two of its 16 crew are missing.

An explosion has sunk a Russian cargo ship in the Mediterranean Sea on Monday night, Russian authorities said, leaving two crew members missing.

Asma al-Assad was once seen as Syria's Princess Diana. Now, she will likely live out her days exiled in Russia. Audio

President Bashar al-Assad has reportedly fled Damascus as rebels entered the Syrian capital.

It is the first known use in the war of such a powerful weapon, with a range of thousands of kilometres.

The attack forced flights to be diverted from three of the city's major airports.

Ukrainian energy facilities have come under a massive attack from Russia, in the latest onslaught targeting the country's power grid, officials say.

The first batch of Russian and Belarusian athletes have been cleared to compete at the Olympics, but others have failed a vetting process over the war in Ukraine.

Officials declared Saturday a day of mourning in Luhansk, and public events will be similarly cancelled on Sunday and Monday in Kherson.

Analysis - A series of arrests raises questions about Putin reasserting control or a possible turf battle between the military and security services.