The Latest Breaking News from Moscow

The so-called referendums — which Ukraine, the U.S. and others have denounced as shams — are widely viewed as an initial Kremlin move toward formal Russian annexation of the territories.

Kremlin-orchestrated referendums that are expected to serve as a pretext for Moscow to annex Russian-held regions of Ukraine concluded Tuesday as the preordained outcome of the votes heightened tension between Russia and the West. Moscow-backed officials in the four occupied regions in southern and eastern Ukraine said polls closed Tuesday…

There is an opportunity to negotiate a way back from the brink, says Anatol Lieven of the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft

Russia's health minister says 15 people wounded in a school shooting in central Russia will be medevaced to Moscow for further treatment a day after a gunman killed 17 people and wounded 24 others

Russia says the diplomat was caught red-handed carrying out espionage activities

Russian media report high turnout in occupied regions as Kyiv promises to crack down on ‘traitors’ who assist votes.

Kazakhstan is struggling to accommodate tens of thousands of Russians who have fled their homeland since Moscow announced a military mobilisation last week, officials say, but the Almaty government has no plans to close its border.

Vladimir Putin’s military assault continues in face of near-unanimous international condemnation

Four regions of Ukraine that are mostly controlled by Russian forces are voting in polls that close Tuesday on whether or not to ask Russia to annex them. Kyiv and its allies have criticized the ballots as a "sham" and vowed not to recognize the results.