The war in Ukraine overshadows Moscow's annual celebration of the Soviet victory over Nazi Germany. Following the huge military parade, the Russian president has claimed Russia is defending the "Motherland" in Donbas.

A nuclear threat from Ukraine? A Ukrainian invasion of Crimea? Ukrainian neo-Nazis? Russian President Vladimir Putin's May 9 speech contained new and familiar accusations amid the war in Ukraine. Most of them are false.

Mikhail Kasyanov, who served as prime minister under Vladimir Putin in the early 2000s, told DW he believed that the Russian president had "already started to realize that he's losing this war."

It never happened during the entire Cold War. But all these years later, Russia's border with NATO is about to double in size. Finland remains unmoved by threats out of the Kremlin over its bid to join the US-led alliance. The same goes for neighbouring Sweden, which is so concerned by Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine that it is ready to call time on two centuries of neutrality.

Russia's president has said banning oil imports from his country would be impossible for some dependent European states, after the EU failed to reach consensus to impose the measure.

In an interview with FRANCE 24, former Ukrainian president Petro Poroshenko expressed concern over the fate of the Ukrainian soldiers evacuated from the besieged Azovstal steel plant in the eastern city of Mariupol, saying that Russian President Vladimir Putin should "never" be trusted. Ukrainian authorities say the fighters have been taken to areas under the control of Russian forces or pro-Russian rebels and will be exchanged at a later date for Russian prisoners.

Victims groups are furious that UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson refuses to step down despite a damning report on illegal Downing Street parties during the country's strict pandemic lockdowns.

"We cannot allow Putin to win this war," the German leader said on the final day of the World Economic Forum. Russia's invasion of Ukraine has dominated talks in Davos, Switzerland.

The local paper in Uvalde, Texas publishes its first issue since the shooting that killed 19 children and their teachers: an all-black front page with the date of the massacre. Despite the shooting, US gun lobby the NRA is going forward with its annual convention in Texas this weekend. We also look at reactions in the British papers to the long-awaited Sue Gray report on lockdown parties at Downing Street. Plus, we find out new information on how Covid-19 can change our sense of smell.

A picture on social media is being shared as alleged proof that Russian President Vladimir Putin has stepped up his security and wears a bulletproof vest. Also, some users, including politicians, are claiming that Russian soldiers burned Ukrainian history books. We tell you more in this edition of Truth or Fake.

The Russian invasion of Ukraine has been denounced by world leaders and prompted diplomatic and financial sanctions. But what do ordinary Russians think? President Vladimir Putin never misses an opportunity to refer to patriotism and national unity in a bid to justify his acts of aggression. A large majority of Russians adhere to this patriotism, some by joining Unarmia, a movement created by the Russian ministry of defence. Yet others have serious doubts about whether the invasion of Ukraine is in the best interests of the country they love.

Russian President Vladimir Putin visited wounded soldiers from the war in Ukraine for the first time on May 25. Following this visit to a Moscow hospital, users claimed that Putin used secret service bodyguards as extras to pose as "'injured soldiers" as he's extremely paranoid about his safety. Is there any truth to these claims? We tell you more in this edition of Truth or Fake.