Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday accused Ukrainian authorities of being behind "crude and cynical" provocations in the town of Bucha as he spoke to Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban.

"Putin informed (Orban) about the situation regarding talks between Russian and Ukrainian representatives and also gave (his) principled assessment of

China has called on the United States to lift sanctions against Russia, claiming it will help resolve Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine. 

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said that the U.S. should stop threatening Moscow with sanctions if they wanted to see progress in Russia-Ukraine peace talks. 

“If the United States is truly interested i

A small fire on Wednesday outside the Lake Como villa of a Russian TV anchor close to President Vladimir Putin was likely a "demonstrative act" against the pundit, Italian authorities said.

Vladimir Solovyov's vacation home in the town of Menaggio, on the western side of the popular holiday destination in northern Italy, was seized last month by

Russia said Wednesday it had been forced to make foreign debt payments on dollar-denominated bonds in rubles, raising the prospect of a potential default amid unprecedented Western sanctions over the Ukraine conflict.

The announcement came on the 42nd day of Russia's military campaign in pro-Western Ukraine, with thousands killed and more than 11