The Latest Breaking News from Moscow

Moscow has now claimed to have included parts of Ukraine’s Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions into Russia’s Southern Military District, as it moves closer to formalising the forced conscription of Ukrainians in the temporarily occupied territories.

The Hungarian PM is a key ally of Moscow and has stymied European support for Kyiv

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán is visiting President Donald Trump in the White House on Friday

Ukraine is continuing to target Russia’s energy infrastructure, which it says is one of the Kremlin’s primary sources of funding for its invasion, as it looks to pressure Moscow into ceasing hostilities and engaging in peace efforts.

Military analysts say situation in Pokrovsk has deteriorated, while Kremlin says it plans to explore resumption of nuclear testing

ANALYSIS: Recently returned from the front lines near Pokrovsk, eastern Ukraine, world affairs editor Sam Kiley explains that Russian claims they’ve encircled Ukrainian forces are bogus

Pianist and composer Justus Frantz has regularly divided opinion in Germany's classical music world over his close relationship with Russia's President Vladimir Putin. Now he's set disapproving tongues wagging again within the industry by accepting Moscow's Order of Friendship award.

Deep Ukrainian drone strikes hit petrochemical plant 1,300km inside Russia and Lukoil refinery east of Moscow. What we know on day 1,351

Venezuela's Nicolás Maduro said that his government maintains "daily and ongoing communication" with Russia, including on military matters, as the United States expands its naval presence near the country

Venezuela's authoritarian President Nicolas Maduro said the country has a very "serene and fruitful" military relation amid reports noting that Caracas requested equipment from Moscow.

Ukrainian authorities are investigating the attack in Dnipropetrovsk