Russia dismisses U.S. Crimea declaration
'We know the worth of these 'fateful declarations',' Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova says in a sarcastic comment on Facebook late Wednesday, July 25
White House won't recognize Crimea annexation – official
'We agree to disagree and the sanctions against Russia remain in place until Russia returns the peninsula to the Ukraine,' White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders tells reporters
Temporary blackout in Crimea after incident at Russian power station
(UPDATED) Crimea's pro-Kremlin leader Sergei Aksyonov says the blackout is the result of an incident at a power station in Russia's southern Krasnodar region
Putin opens new bridge to Crimea, provoking Ukraine, Western ire
Ukraine, which along with most of the international community has not recognized Russia's annexation of Crimea, condemns the project
What the world is saying about Putin's re-election
Here's a roundup of the global reaction to the new 6-year term of Russian President Vladimir Putin
Ukraine, pro-Russia rebels in mass prisoner swap
The swap of captives on a dusty road close to the town of Gorlivka is an attempt to revive a tattered peace deal between the Kiev army and rebels from the self-proclaimed Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics
Crimea brought to standstill after Russian power shutdown
The temporary power outage causes havoc around the region as traffic lights cut out and electric trolley buses stop running
Putin, Macron to air tough issues at Versailles meet
French President Emmanuel Macron says it is essential to keep dialogue open with Moscow
Kiev slams Eurovision call to allow Russian singer
Ukraine has barred Russian singer and Eurovision contestant Yulia Samoilova over illegally entering Moscow annexed Crimea for a 2015 performance
EU extends sanctions over Ukraine crisis for 6 months
The sanctions now apply to 150 persons and 37 entities with the names to be published officially on Tuesday
Trump aides in back-door Ukraine peace plan – NYT
The report underscores allegations of improper Russian influence on the Trump administration with US intelligence agencies saying Moscow meddled in the American election in November to tip the outcome in the Republican s favor
Ukraine warns Russia of missile tests near Crimea
The tests set for Thursday December 1 would almost certainly further damage relations between two former Soviet neighbors that treat each other as open foes
Putin heads to Berlin for crunch Ukraine, Syria talks
Russian President Vladimir Putin will face Western pressure over Ukraine and Syria at talks in Berlin
Russia votes for new parliament with Putin secure
UPDATED Parties loyal to President Vladimir Putin are set to maintain their dominance despite the Kremlin making a show of cleaning up the vote after mass protests last time around
US condemns Russian elections in Crimea
The United States does not recognize the legitimacy and will not recognize the outcome of the Russian Duma elections planned for Russian occupied Crimea on September 18th
In Moscow's grip, Crimea holds first vote to Russian parliament
The ballot in Crimea – not recognized by Kiev or the international community – looks set to bind the region still closer to Moscow as the new pro Kremlin elite cements its grip and opposition is silenced
Ukraine moves to ban 'illegal' Russian books
The proposed legislation concerns books that are either published or shipped from the territory of the aggressor nation or the temporarily occupied Crimea and which are forbidden from being distributed in Ukraine
Ukraine on high alert over Crimea tensions with Russia
Ukraine s pro Western President Petro Poroshenko has earlier met his top brass and has ordered forces along the frontier with Crimea and across the conflict wracked east onto high alert level
Putin accuses Ukraine of incursions into Crimea
Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko says Moscow s claims are senseless and cynical
Ukraine at UN says Putin's Crimea decree 'null and void'
Russian President Vladimir Putin has issued a decree merging Crimea into the southern federal district of Russia to strengthen the work of federal state bodies
NATO unites to keep pressure on Russia
Alliance leaders stand together on Russia agreeing to bolster its eastern flank after Moscow s annexation of Crimea and the Ukraine conflict
'Politics beat art': Russian officials bash Ukraine Eurovision win
It is not the first time the Eurovision Song Contest has raised political hackles though the rules leave no room for interpretation
Putin visits Crimea to mark 2 years since annexation
Putin will check up on the progress of a 3 billion bridge project connecting Russia to Crimea a key link that Moscow hopes will further bind it to the isolated region
Top Europe rights body sends team to Crimea
The Council of Europe mission aims to ensure that the people of Crimea are not forgotten
State of emergency in Crimea after power lines blown up
Russia s emergency situations ministry says electricity is now back in Simferopol Feodosia Yevpatoria and Yalta
Ukraine and Russia ground direct flights in latest spat
Mistrust between the uneasy ex Soviet neighbours boils over into a new trade war that affects tens of thousands of families
Ukraine says Russia must cede border by end of year
The Western backed Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko says he never agreed to the terms announced by French President Francois Hollande at a media event held after summit talks on the crisis in Paris on Friday
US open to talks with Russia on Syria
The decision signals a newfound willingness to engage with Russia after months of giving Vladimir Putin the cold shoulder over his actions in Ukraine and Syria
EU extends Ukraine sanctions by 6 months
The assessment of the situation did not justify a change in the regime of sanctions nor in the list of persons and entities under restrictive measures the EU s Council of Ministers says in a statement
Russia says state news agency bank account closed in UK
The closure is due to European Union sanctions against Kiselyov over Russia s takeover of Crimea from Ukraine says the Russian foreign ministry
Ex pro-Putin Internet troll seeks to expose Kremlin 'propaganda factory'
A Russian freelance journalist who claims she went undercover as a pro government Internet troll says she is suing her former employer in a bid to expose the workings of the Kremlin s online army
Ukraine navy left high and dry after Crimea losses
All the most important ships by class and capability are now stuck in the occupied territory and that represents a big problem for Ukraine
US, Russia vow to boost cooperation, but no concrete progress
And while there were no tangible agreements there was a marked change in the tone between the two long time wary foes who for months have traded barbs and accusations
Kerry arrives in Russia to push Putin on Ukraine crisis
It is the highest level trip by a US official to Russia since Kerry visited Moscow in May 2013
Putin to host US Secretary of State Kerry for high-stakes Sochi talks
President Vladimir Putin has refused to budge on Ukraine but has signalled his readiness to mend ties with Washington and Brussels as Russia chafes under the burden of biting Western sanctions
Putin says 'no regrets' over Crimea annexation
Putin: When we defend our interests we go to the end
Grass warned of 'sleepwalking' into world war in final interview
Germany s Nobel winning author Gunter Grass said he feared humanity was sleepwalking into a world war in the last interview he gave before his death on Monday
Russia lashes out at law to erase Ukraine's Soviet past
The package of laws bans Soviet flags and means Soviet era Lenin statues will have to be knocked down and town squares renamed across the country of some 45 million
Crimea marks a year of Russian rule
Russian newspaper: Crimea is ours of course But how long will Russia have to keep paying for this and how many zeroes will there be in the final sum not even Putin knows
Ukraine says rebels attack near Mariupol, NATO deploys Baltics troops
UPDATED Meanwhile NATO forces prepared for a major exercise in the Baltics where Russia s involvement in the Ukraine war has jangled nerves
Hospital shelled in east Ukraine as calls mount for truce
The latest deaths come as international pressure grows for an immediate halt to surging violence which has seen hundreds of civilians killed in recent weeks
Ukraine separatists vow to mobilize 100,000 fighters
The pledge to dramatically escalate a 9 month conflict comes as the rebels battled to encircle the beleaguered transport hub of Debaltseve
Fierce fighting rages for key Ukraine town
Intense artillery fire thunders around the Kiev controlled town of Debaltseve where insurgent fighters are trying to encircle Ukrainian troops
Obama ramps up pressure on Russia after deadly Ukraine blitz
Obama says he will now look at all options – short of military intervention – to restrain Russian President Vladimir Putin s alleged proxy war aimed at stripping Ukraine s pro Western leaders of their vital eastern industrial base
Ukraine rebels announce new offensive as rockets kill 30
4th UPDATE At least 30 are dead and more than 90 are injured after rockets hit Mariupol in Ukraine Donetsk separatist leader Alexander Zakharchenko says it is the start of an offensive against Mariupol
A Ukraine truce deal that brought hope and more war
The following is a look at where the September 5 protocol agreement that was negotiated with the help of Russian and European envoys in the Belarussian capital Minsk fell short
Ukraine, pro-Russian rebels resume peace talks
A successful round of preliminary negotiations in the Belarussian capital Minsk could pave the way for a second meeting
Ukraine takes historic step toward NATO
Ukraine s parliament overwhelmingly vote to revoke the nation s neutral status which it adopted under Russian pressure in 2010
Belarus strongman looks to revive Ukraine peace talks
But a high ranking Ukrainian official says Belarussian President Alexander Lukashenko is just as keen to use the trip to build bridges to Europe that ease his dependence on an increasingly isolated Russia
EU approves new Crimea sanctions
Under the new restrictions European Union companies will not be allowed to buy real estate in Crimea finance local companies or supply related services
