Russia's Vladimir Putin will hold a signing ceremony on Friday to annex four more areas of Ukraine after self-styled referendums condemned by Ukraine and the West as a sham.

Russian proxies in occupied Ukrainian regions were expected to ask Moscow to make good on the claimed results as early as Wednesday.

'This is not an earthquake,' says seismologist after dual blasts

Vladimir Putin on Monday granted US fugitive Edward Snowden a massive lifeline — but authorities have warned he could end up in even deeper trouble.

Washington will respond in kind if Moscow uses WMDs in Ukraine, Biden's national security adviser promised

The legal changes introduce the concepts of “mobilization, martial law and wartime” to the Russian Criminal Code for the first time. 

Kiev plans to reduce Tehran’s diplomatic presence, accusing it of selling attack drones to Russia

The US will target Russia’s economy over the votes in Donbass and two Moscow-controlled regions, the president says

The EU must take Vladimir Putin's threats he could use nuclear weapons in the conflict in Ukraine seriously, the bloc's foreign policy chief has said.

The moves followed months of conflicting signals from Moscow and separatist officials about the referendums that reflected the shifts on the battlefield.

Former Italian PM Silvio Berlusconi has defended Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine, saying Russia's leader was "pushed" into the conflict.

Russian-backed officials in four occupied regions of Ukraine are holding self-styled referendums on joining Russia.

Ukraine's recent rout of Russian forces left the Kremlin with no good options

Russian president also warned West not to intervene

World leaders have reacted to Vladimir Putin’s chilling speech announcing the partial mobilisation of troops in Russia.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has revealed he “is not bluffing” in next move in a harrowing speech attacking the West.

The Russian president raised the threat of a nuclear response in the Ukraine conflict and ordered reservists to mobilize, as Moscow seeks to buttress its army’s flagging manpower and regain the offensive.

The US ambassador to Ukraine branded it a sign of weakness, while German vice-chancellor said it’s a “misguided step”

Donbass ‘referendums’ would have been funny if it weren’t tragic, French president says

Ukraine has dismissed upcoming referendums on the Donbass republics joining Russia as “manipulation” and “fear of defeat”