Europe Russia "President Putin was, is and remains open to any contact to discuss possible options to solve the Ukrainian problem," said Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the St. Petersburg Economic Forum
Europe Russia Yulia Navalnaya, widow of Russian dissident Alexei Navalny and president of the anti-corruption foundation he created, said she intends to become president of Russia and to continue her husband's struggle
Europe Russia Russian dissident Alexei Navalny, President Putin's main political opponent before his death in prison last February, had written in his memoir that he would "die in prison"
Europe Russia The country celebrated on Monday 30 September the second anniversary of the illegal annexation of four Ukrainian territories, two of which were self-declared People's Republics at war with the central government
Europe Russia 180.000 new soldiers will be drafted into the Russian army, bringing to 1,5 million the total number of soldiers in service; if confirmed, the decision would make the Russian army the second largest in the world after the Chinese one