Ukraine continues to cripple Russia's energy sector by hitting numerous oil refineries, depots, chemical plants, and more with drones.

Reliance on Russia’s military offerings has become increasingly prevalent in parts of Africa, amid an aggressive push by Moscow to lessen Western influence on the continent.

According to Ushakov, Moscow will not have a presence at the inauguration because Russia's possible candidate for Russian ambassador to the U.S.—Alexander Darchiev, the head of the North American Department of the Russian Foreign Ministry—has still not received an agrément from Washington.

The Russian Foreign Ministry said on Saturday Ukraine and Britain "had no room" for cooperation in the Sea of Azov, commenting on a new 100-year partnership agreement between Kyiv and London the two countries' leaders announced on Thursday.

The presidents of Russia and Iran have held talks in the Kremlin before the signing of a broad cooperation pact to deepen their partnership amid stinging Western sanctions.

Oilfield service provider SLB on Friday said its current business in Russia still aligns with U.S. sanctions issued this month, but that revenue in the country was declining.

Russian President Vladimir Putin is hosting his Iranian counterpart President Masoud Pezeshkian for the signing of a broad partnership pact.

The agreement is focused more on trade than military issues, but it will bring two countries with a shared desire to challenge the West closer together.

Russia has long used its plentiful energy resources as a tool to exert control over the region, where independence from Russian energy is tied to political sovereignty.

The Group of Seven on Friday said the Kremlin had funded and directed covert efforts by state entities to undermine elected goverments around the world by using global disinformation and influence campaigns.

Fahmida Khatun has said the resignation of Tulip Siddiq from the post of UK treasury and anti -corruption minister was inevitable. "Various allegations against Tulip, including financial scandals, were becoming more and more intense.