Dmitri N. Kozak had worked with President Vladimir V. Putin for three decades before quitting in September. His associates described his break with the Russian leader.

The Russian economy has been dealing with growing headwinds this year: unruly inflation, a ballooning budget deficit and shrinking energy revenues. But analysts say the Kremlin could weather the storm for many more years.

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday boasted of Russian military advances in Ukraine and ruled out any compromises with Kyiv ahead of meetings with U.S. officials in Miami this weekend aimed

Russian President Vladimir Putin declares Russia's Ukraine war goals will be achieved through negotiations or military force as diplomatic efforts.

Europe has “failed to rob” Russia of its frozen assets, President Vladimir Putin has said in the aftermath of a deal to offer Ukraine a massive €90bn interest-free loan. It did not reach an agreement on the use of frozen Russian assets. “They failed to rob, due to grave consequences for the robbers,” he said.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in an address on Wednesday that Russia is preparing "the coming year as a year of war," despite ongoing peace talks.

Even as Ukraine’s Zelenskyy has accepted a modified version of US-brokered peace proposal to end the war, there are signs that the almost four-year war might not be nearing its end. Russia’s Putin has reportedly rejected the proposal Europe and Ukraine agreed on in Berlin recently.