Ukraine said the first commercial cargo ship has left the port through a "humanitarian corridor" after Moscow threatened to sink such vessels. The ship set sail despite a new bombardment along the Danube River.

BRICS countries will meet next week in Johannesburg as the bloc aims to widen its influence. But Russian President Vladimir Putin's absence is already causing a stir.

The organization, dedicated to Nobel Peace Prize winning rights activist Andrei Sakharov, was accused of illegally hosting conferences and exhibitions. It was created in Moscow almost three decades ago.

Russia has not reported any casualties or any damages in the alleged drone strikes. Meanwhile, Lithuania has urged Germany to speed up its deployment of troops in the Baltic country. Follow DW for more.

The independent monitoring group Golos says the detention of its co-chair Grigory Melkonyants is aimed at hindering public observation of the upcoming elections in Russia.

The Black Sea was once a geopolitical afterthought in Europe. But that has changed since Russia began its war against Ukraine. Now, many interests are colliding on the inland sea between Europe and Asia.

A powerful explosion rocked a gas station in Russia's city of Makhachkala, located in the Caucasian Dagestan region, killing 35 people and injuring 80 others. The explosion, which occurred Monday evening, caused a major fire, which spread to an area of more than 600 square meters (6,458 square feet), region's Governor Sergey Melikov said in a statement.

Russia's new school history textbooks aim to present a different perspective on the Ukraine conflict. With a focus on "special military operations," the line between education and propaganda blurs.

The coup in Niger has people asking about potential links to Russia. Neighboring Mali and Burkina Faso have turned to the Kremlin after severing ties with France. Is Moscow behind Niger's coup?

Sixteen people have now been detained by Warsaw who were allegedly spying for the Kremlin. Poland is also alarmed by the movement of thousands of Russia's Wagner mercenary fighters close to its joint border with Belarus.

Tokyo and Moscow have been locked in a dispute over the Kuril Islands for decades. The Ukraine war has given some Japanese hope that they can be wrestled out of Russia's control. How does China factor in?

Russia is doubling down on its efforts to strengthen ties with countries in Africa. But because its engagement is still more political than economic, the continent's leaders should tread cautiously, analysts warn.