Russian PM visits disputed Kuril islands, triggering Japan protestRussian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev landed Saturday in the Kuril islands, prompting a swift rebuke from Tokyo, which claims sovereignty over the northwest Pacific archipelago in a long-running dispute.
Putin says 'glad' to give US boxing star Russian passportRussian President Vladimir Putin said he would be glad to grant a request for Russian citizenship from US boxer Roy Jones Jr as the multiple world champion visited Russian-annexed Crimea.
20 August 2015
US calls on Russia to release jailed Estonian officerThe United States called on Russia to release an Estonian intelligence officer who was sentenced to 15 years in prison for spying and weapons possession, calling the charges "baseless."
20 August 2015
Putin dives in mini-sub to shipwreck off CrimeaRussian President Vladimir Putin burnished his action man image by diving down in a mini-submarine to explore a shipwreck off the coast of the Crimea peninsula that Moscow seized from Ukraine last year.
UN chief 'alarmed' by upsurge in Ukraine fightingUN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon expressed serious alarm over the upsurge in fighting in Ukraine and called for urgent steps to de-escalate the violence.
Kerry complains to Moscow about Iran general's visitUS Secretary of State John Kerry called his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov on Thursday to express concern about a visit to Moscow by the commander of Iran's covert forces.
14 August 2015
Ukraine bans dozens of 'fascist' Russian booksKiev's public relations war with Moscow scaled new heights as Ukraine released a list of prominent Russian reporters and authors whose books will be banned from sale.