Moscow

Animated Putin joins talking cat, dog for New Year's message in popular Russian cartoon

Residents of Prostokvashino, the fictional village that gives the show its name, are stunned when the animated version of the Kremlin leader, flanked by Sharik the dog and Matroskin the cat.

An image depicts the characters of Russian children's cartoon Prostokvashino, Sharik the dog and Matroskin the cat, and the animated version of Russian President Vladimir Putin delivering a New Year message to the nation in Moscow's Red Square, in the undated footage released December 26, 2025.
Venezuela's Vice President Delcy Rodriguez presents the government's 2026 budget proposal to the National Assembly, urging lawmakers to approve spending of some $19.9 billion, in Caracas, Venezuela December 4, 2025.

Russia welcomes Venezuela's interim president, says Venezuela should determine own destiny

Russian President Vladimir Putin and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian attend a documents signing ceremony in Moscow, Russia January 17, 2025.

Moscow and Tehran’s new partnership is bad news for the West - opinion

Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei speaks during a meeting in Tehran, Iran January 3, 2026.

Iran's Khamenei has escape plan to flee to Moscow if regime falls amid protests - report


Russia deploys nuclear-capable Oreshnik missiles in Belarus amid rising tensions

The state news agency TASS said it was the first time that the Defence Ministry had shown off the Oreshnik mobile missile systems.

Service members take part in what Russian Defence Ministry says is the deployment of the Russian nuclear-capable hypersonic Oreshnik missile system in Belarus, at an unidetified location in this still image from video released December 30, 2025.

Iran launches new satellites in show of defiance ahead of Netanyahu-Trump meeting

Prior to the June war, Tehran had managed numerous satellite launches in recent years, some on its own, and some in conjunction with Moscow.

The Safir satellite-carrier rocket, which was designed for Iran's Omid satellite, is seen before launch at Iran's space centre in Tehran in 2009

Syria, Russia discuss military cooperation and reconstruction after Assad

Russian President Vladimir Putin met with Syrian foreign and defense ministers, Asaad Hassan al-Shaibani and Maj.-Gen. Murhaf Abu Qasra.

Russian President Vladimir Putin attends a meeting with Syrian interim president at the Grand Kremlin Palace in Moscow on October 15, 2025.

Oil’s geopolitical premium vanished in 2025 and may not return - opinion

Oil futures in 2025 have oscillated within a relatively narrow range, with the high coming in January before the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries began production increases.

An aerial view shows the oil tanker named Boracay (also called Pushpa), a vessel being investigated by French authorities and suspected of belonging to the so-called "shadow fleet" involved in the Russian oil trade, off the coast of the western France port of Saint-Nazaire, France, October 2, 2025

Russia probes car bomb that killed top general, Moscow suspects Ukrainian involvement

The investigators published a video showing the wrecked car, with blood visible on the driver's seat.

An investigator works at the scene where Lieutenant General Fanil Sarvarov, head of the Russian General Staff's army operational training directorate, was reportedly killed in a car bomb in Moscow, Russia, December 22, 2025.

Ukraine hits Russian 'Shadow Fleet' tanker in Mediterranean with drones

The Ukrainian official did not say how the drones reached the ship, but said the operation involved "multi-stage" measures.

A Ukrainian sea drone approaches to strike the Dashan, a tanker part of Russia's so-called "shadow fleet", in the Black Sea, December 10, 2025, in this picture obtained from a video. S

Exiled to Moscow, Assad is making a quiet return to ophthalmology for the elite - report

“Putin has little patience for leaders who lose their grip on power, and Assad is no longer seen as a figure of influence,” a source said.

President Bashar al-Assad of Syria

Russia warns US moves on Venezuela could have ‘fatal’ consequences

Trump on Tuesday ordered a "blockade" of all sanctioned oil tankers entering and leaving Venezuela as Washington tries to increase pressure on President Nicolas Maduro's government.

Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov speaks during a press conference after addressing the 80th United Nations General Assembly, September 27, 2025.

From Kyiv to the Golan: The Ukraine-Russia war’s unseen impact on Israel - opinion

The Ukraine war is reshaping Israel’s security, diplomacy, and society, empowering Iran, changing alliances, and redefining the challenges ahead.

Russian President Vladimir Putin chairs a meeting in Moscow this week. Russia is so consumed by the war with Ukraine that it struggles to maintain its military presence in Syria and turns a blind eye to Iranian activity, says the writer.

Kremlin aide Ushakov on US-Ukraine talks: 'We may not like it'

When asked about Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's suggestion that a referendum be held on any territorial concessions, Uri Ushakov responded; ‘the entire Donbas region belongs to Russia.'

Russian foreign policy presidential aide Yuri Ushakov waits for a meeting of President Vladimir Putin with Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto at the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia, December 10, 2025.

Top Indian arms makers held rare meetings in Russia on potential joint ventures, sources say

Western diplomats have said that a key obstacle to the transfer of military technology to India is its defense ties with Russia and the vast amount of Russian-origin arms used by the Indian military.

Russian President Vladimir Putin and India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi shake hands as they attend a presentation of a joint statement after their delegation level talks at Hyderabad House in New Delhi, India, December 5, 2025.