The Latest Breaking News from Leonid Slutsky

President Vladimir Putin faces just three rivals in Russia's March 15-17 presidential election after anti-war candidates were barred from running. But Leonid Slutsky, Nikolai Kharitonov and Vladislav Davankov do not pose much of a challenge for the Russian leader, who is all but guaranteed to secure another six-year term.

The 71-year-old president is all but certain to win another term in a vote that begins on March 15.

Several people were killed and scores injured in a Russian rocket strike that hit a restaurant in Kramatorsk, eastern Ukraine, authorities said Tuesday. Ukrainian police said Russia fired two S-300 surface-to-air missiles at the city. Read our liveblog to see how the day's events unfolded. All times are Paris time…

There is stalemate across the front line as Moscow and Kyiv prepare for the conflict to drag on into winter