Russia said on Wednesday that its air defences had shot down at least 232 Ukrainian drones over various Russian regions, including some approaching Moscow where the capital's airports were briefly shut down to ensure the safety of flights.

The Russian leader traveled to the region in the west of the country where a surprise incursion last year embarrassed Moscow.

Britain and the European Union have imposed sweeping sanctions targeting Russia, particularly its shadow fleet of oil tankers, over its war in Ukraine.

Pope Leo XIV may have offered to host Russia-Ukraine peace talks at the Vatican, but neither the pope nor senior Vatican officials have spoken publicly about the possibility, leaving prospects for such talks uncertain.

Kyiv’s European allies have slapped new sanctions on Moscow, a day after a phone call between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin failed to produce a breakthrough on ending the 3-year-old war in Ukraine.

The European Union has now targeted Moscow’s fleet of covert oil tankers and plans more restrictions, as the Trump administration’s approach to the war shifts.

The E.U. and U.K. have announced fresh sanctions against Russia’s secretive shipping network, in the latest bid to cut off funding for the Kremlin’s war machine.

Iran's ratification of a 20-year pact with Russia marks a major step in expanding military and economic ties amid tensions with the West