The Kremlin has dismissed any immediate prospects of peace in the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict, with spokesman Dmitry Peskov declaring that there are "no grounds" for ending hostilities. While Russia claims to remain open to negotiations,

There are no signs of the Ukrainian conflict ending or any phase of it concluding,” Peskov said. Read also: Putin incorporates Ukraine's 'denazification' in new anti-extremism strategy – ISW Despite online reports of "historic meetings" and "the end of the hot phase of the war,

The cause of the crash of Azerbaijan Airlines flight J2-8243 near the city of Aktau, Kazakhstan, is still unknown. The Kremlin has so far been tight-lipped, prompting questions over its messaging.

Russia’s aviation chief says that a Ukrainian drone attack was underway in the Russian region that an airliner was destined for before it diverted and crashed earlier this week.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has held talks in the Kremlin with Slovakia’s prime minister, Robert Fico, in a rare visit to Moscow by an EU leader since Russia’s all-out invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

A passenger jet that crashed in Kazakhstan on Christmas Day, killing 38 people, was likely shot down by a Russian anti-aircraft missile, according to multiple reports.

RUSSIA downed a passenger plane over Kazakhstan on Christmas Day killing 38 in a fireball crash, according to government sources. An initial investigation by the Azerbaijani government reportedly

Lt. Gen. Igor Kirillov was killed Tuesday morning by a bomb hidden on an electric scooter parked near the entrance of his apartment block in southeastern Moscow as he left for his office. Kirillov’s assistant also died in the attack.

Mobile phone footage circulating online appeared to show the aircraft making a steep descent before smashing into the ground in a fireball. Some of the videos posted on social media showed survivors dragging fellow passengers away from the wreckage.

White House national security spokesman John Kirby told reporters that the US “have seen some early indications" that the plane was "brought down by Russian air defense systems."

An Azerbaijani minister suggested on Friday that an airliner that crashed this week was hit by a weapon, citing expert analysis and survivor evidence indicating that the plane was struck from the outside. The statement from Rashad Nabiyev raised pressure on Russia.

Azerbaijan held a national day of mourning Thursday after a passenger jet from the flag carrier crashed in western Kazakhstan on Christmas Day, killing 38 of th