Russian embassy hawks Putin World War II article

Few recent meetings had been as highly anticipated as the meeting of Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping at the summit in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO).

Internet sleuths are setting social media alight with claims that the Russian President used "paid extras" in his New Years Eve address, after finding previous official photographs alongside a blonde woman with a striking resemblance - and these claims have hit media headlines across the globe. We take a look in this edition of Truth or Fake with Vedika Bahl.

The medal was to recognize the Russian president's "patriotic concern and love" for Bosnia's Serb-controlled half. The US-sanctioned Milorad Dodik has enjoyed deep ties with Russia despite the war on Ukraine.

As Ukraine asks the West for hundreds of modern tanks to defend itself against Russian aggression, the head of Ukraine's national security and defence council, Oleksiy Danilov, sat down with FRANCE 24 correspondent and reporter Gulliver Cragg in Kyiv.

Russia has started selling its growing reserves of the Chinese currency to fill a budget deficit caused by falling oil and gas revenues and the costs of war. For how long will the yuan shore up Putin's ailing economy?

Former Russian oil tycoon Mikhail Khodorkovsky, who served 10 years in prison on tax and fraud charges that many believe were politically motivated, spoke to FRANCE 24 from London, where he now lives in exile.

Ahead of the Munich Security Conference, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba has said Russia would have no incentive to end the war if it sees it can conquer territories militarily. DW has the latest.

Yevgeny Prigozhin has admitted to leading the Wagner Group of mercenaries and a massive internet troll farm. But is he a threat to Russian President Vladimir Putin, or is he just doing what the Kremlin leader wants?

Ukraine's Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba expressed confidence that Ukraine would win the war against the invading force of Russia, in an interview with FRANCE 24. Speaking in Brussels a few days ahead of the first anniversary of Russia's invasion, the top Ukrainian diplomat explained why he thinks President Vladimir Putin represents a global threat for the international community, saying that the Russian president's strategy was "destruction and undermining stability".

A former speechwriter for Vladimir Putin tells DW he believes the Russian leader has no "plan B" in Ukraine. Meanwhile, US President Biden is meeting with leaders from NATO's eastern flank. Follow DW for the latest.

Russia's President Vladimir Putin said Moscow would pay "increased attention" to strengthening its nuclear forces. Meanwhile, the war is set to dominate a controversial OSCE meeting. DW rounds up the latest.

In an interview with FRANCE 24's Gulliver Cragg in Kyiv, the head of the parliamentary faction of President Volodymyr Zelensky's Servant of the People party discussed the situation in Ukraine, one year after the start of Russia's full-scale invasion. David Arakhamia said Russian President Vladimir Putin had "lost influence in the world" as a result of Moscow's military setbacks in Ukraine.