President-elect Donald Trump has pledged to broker a peace deal in Ukraine, but as he prepares to take office, peace seems as elusive as ever. Moscow and Kyiv are seeking battlefield gains to strengthen their negotiating positions ahead of any prospective talks to end the 3-year-old war.

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.

China's largest airline, China Southern Airlines, has suspended flights from Beijing to Moscow at the end of January, a surprise move that comes just ahead of the Chinese New Year. Newsweek reached out to China Southern Airlines and the Russian Foreign Ministry with an emailed request for comment outside of office hours.

Tucker Carlson enjoyed his sit-down with Putin so much that he went to Moscow again in December, this time to interview Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. It’s hard to tell whether Carlson or Danko enjoyed Moscow more, but can you guess who said which gushing quote about Russia? (Answers at the end; don’t scroll down!)

The leader of Moldova's breakaway region of Transdniestria has travelled to Moscow for talks to resolve an energy crisis following the suspension of Russian gas deliveries, Transdniestria's news agency reported on Tuesday.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Tuesday that Moscow was in contact with its "Serbian friends" about the fate of Serbian oil company NIS, which Belgrade fears will face U.S. sanctions because Russia's Gazprom is its majority owner.

Russia's Tass state news agency, citing an anonymous source: "Vladimir Feshchenko, the Russian champion in kettlebell lifting, was killed on Olkhovaya Street in the center of Moscow. During the examination, a gunshot wound to the head was found. The reason for the murder was a domestic conflict with a military man."

Azerbaijani leader Ilham Aliyev is demanding answers, saying Vladimir Putin's latest apology "isn't enough" and that Moscow must take responsibility.

Ukraine fired six US-made ATACMS ballistic missiles, six British Storm Shadow cruise missiles and at least 146 drones into Russia in a mass attack, says Moscow. It threatened retaliation against the air strikes.

The Idaho Food Bank will hold a food distribution event in Moscow, offering free, healthy food to eligible residents.

Trump has echoed Moscow’s rhetoric, which has described its ‘special military operation’ in Ukraine as a response to planned Nato membership for Kyiv