Direct conflict between Russia and NATO was once unthinkable, but preparations and defense spending have been stepped up in nervous Baltic states.

Trump" rail tunnel under the Bering Strait to link their countries, unlock joint exploration of natural resources and "symbolise unity", a Kremlin envoy has suggested.

President Vladimir Putin's investment envoy outlined a plan for U.S.-Russia tunnel connecting Alaska and Siberia through Bering Strait within eight years at $8 billion cost.

A court in southern Russia convicted 15 captured Ukrainian soldiers on terrorism charges Friday after a trial that Kyiv denounced as a sham and a violation of international law. The military court in Rostov-on-Don sentenced 15 men from the Aidar battalion,

Austria said on Saturday that it would agree to the European Union's latest sanctions package against Russia, in an about-face of its earlier stance and removing a key hurdle ahead of a vote early next week.

On Sunday evening, Russian forces hit an energy facility in the Koriukivka district of Chernihiv Oblast, leaving around 55,000 consumers without electricity. Source: Chernihivoblenergo Quote: "At 19:00,