VLADIMIR PUTIN

Drills by members of the military alliance will take place in September in Ukraine, a move interpreted as a message to Russia.

Russia is expected to increase the strength of paratroops from 45,000 to 60,000 men in an effort to strengthen its airborne assault divisions.

Import bans were instituted in 2014 in response to Western sanctions on Russian imports amid the Ukraine crisis and have greatly disrupted the daily lives of ordinary Russians.

A military parade to commemorate the end of World War Two will take place through Beijing's Tiananmen Square in September.

U.S. United Nations Rep. Samantha Power criticized the Russian veto, saying that Russia had "abused the privilege given to it by the U.N."

The Russian leader defended the outgoing FIFA head and criticized the U.S. investigation of the world soccer body as interfering in matters outside its jurisdiction.

The Australian foreign minister is in New York to convince UN officials of the need for a tribunal to address the downing of Flight MH17 in eastern Ukraine last year.

The U.S. is funding $70 million in infrastructure upgrades in the Baltic states, Poland, Bulgaria and Romania through September.

Russia said that its revised maritime doctrine and increased focus on the Atlantic are justified by NATO's expansion in the east.

Russia has reportedly committed to building its own helicopter carriers to replace the two Mistral vessels, the delivery of which was canceled over the crisis in Ukraine.

The Tu-22M3 has a maximum range of 4,200 miles, and can carry long-range cruise missiles for about 1,500 miles.

This Eid el-Fitr, many Muslim worshippers were, as in other years, forced to pray on the street, as the city refuses to allow more mosques to be built.

The sale of the S-300 missile defense system is set to go ahead despite Iran being banned from buying missiles for eight years.

The trial of Gennady Kravtsov is one of many treason cases in Russia in recent months amid heightened tensions due to the conflict in Ukraine.

Russia's oligarchs have been transferring their vast wealth to their relatives to beat Western-led economic sanctions.

The deal, centered on a pipeline from Azerbaijan to Italy, will help Europe diversify its suppliers and move away from Russian natural gas.

Union of Geopolitics Chairman Konstantin Sivkov says the Satan SS-18 is an outdated missile.

"Our suggestion is a different kind of suggestion," Russia ambassador Vitaly Churkin told reporters Monday.

Odessa Gov. Mikheil Saakashvili told the Independent that Putin will likely take on the Baltic states next.

An expansive black market for cheese and other imported food products, complete with signals and back room haggling now exists in Russia.

The navy will purchase a "submarine-killer" version of the Be-200 amphibious aircraft by 2020, an official said.