By Ben Aris in Berlin “Ukraine is part of Russia,” Russian President Vladimir Putin said in his keynote address at this year’s St Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF) plenary session on June 20,

By Vladimir Soldatkin and Guy Faulconbridge ST PETERSBURG, Russia (Reuters) -Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday dismissed claims the war in Ukraine is devastating the Russian economy, citing continued growth,

In 2023, Mr Putin claimed that Russia had begun moving tactical nuclear weapons into Belarus, saying it was a response to Western “escalation.” He insisted the move did not breach non-proliferation agreements, but the announcement was widely interpreted as a signal to NATO.