By KATIE MARIE DAVIES For a quarter century, President Vladimir Putin has faced the specter of Russia’s shrinking and aging population. In 1999, a year before he came to power, the number of

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha believes that the latest sanctions imposed by the EU and the US are a real blow to Russia, although Moscow denies this. Details: Sybiha believes that this week marked a new stage in the pressure to force Russia to make peace,

America’s latest sanctions on top Russian oil producers throw India’s lucrative energy strategy into disarray, leaving it to navigate soaring costs, disrupted supplies, and the politics of managing relations with Washington and Moscow.

Also last month, Sberbank CEO German Gref, one of Russia’s top banking chiefs, said the economy was in “technical stagnation,” And in June, Economy Minister Maxim Reshetnikov warned that Russia was “on the brink” of a recession.

The Trump administration on Wednesday imposed sanctions on Russia’s two largest oil companies as it called on Moscow to agree to an immediate ceasefire in the war with Ukraine.

Even those who’ve never been to Moscow recognize the colorful domes of St. Basil’s Cathedral, which sits on Red Square below the ramparts of the Kremlin. The Kremlin’s tower-studded, walled complex of domed cathedrals and palaces,

Putin said that "no self-respecting country does anything under pressure," calling new U.S. sanctions an "unfriendly act."

As a Ukrainian, I’ve seen firsthand how Russia has learned to emulate American soft power for authoritarian ends.