President Vladimir Putin has been re-elected to a fifth term in office after a vote in which he faced no real opposition. Since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Russia has become the most sanctioned country in the world.

Support for either Russia or Ukraine has become a question of identity in Latvia, where stricter media and language laws are stoking resentment among its sizeable ethnic Russian population. DW's Fanny Facsar reports from Daugavpils, which is home to the Baltic state's largest Russian-speaking population.

As Russia holds a presidential election, some of the most reliable information on the country is being reported from beyond its borders. After launching its full-scale invasion of Ukraine just over two years ago, the Kremlin launched a media crackdown so severe that independent journalists were forced to either stop working or flee the country.

Ever more Russian are subjected to checks and interrogations upon returning home. Border officials are deeply suspicious of anti-war activism and Western affiliations.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Wednesday met with his Nigerian Foreign Minister Yusuf Tuggar in Moscow capital of Russia.

Russia preparing for long-term confrontation with NATO, including Baltics – intelligence. Russia is not only allocating massive resources for the war in Ukraine but is also preparing for a long-term confrontation with NATO, according to Lithuanian intelligence.

Russia launched a full-scale invasion of its neighbour, upending the lives of millions of Ukrainians. But the conflict also changed the lives of hundreds of thousands of Russians opposed to the war.

German Defense Minister warns it's all "Putin's game" referring leaked military conversations

In an emotional speech, Yulia Navalnaya told the European Parliament that it was time for the world to confront Russian President Vladimir Putin's close circle, galvanize opposition and see to a "Russia of the future."

Russian President Vladimir Putin needs to ensure his country remains in a permanent state of war. That's the premise of a new book, published by a French political scientist as the world has been marking the second anniversary of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has claimed that Western weapons deliveries to Ukraine have ended up in the hands of Hamas and other terror groups in the Middle East. Russian television has been quick to exploit the Israel-Hamas conflict for propaganda purposes.

Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre spoke to FRANCE 24 about the war in Ukraine ahead of the second anniversary this week of Russia's full-scale invasion.