Moscow

Russian President Vladimir Putin hailed Russian troops fighting in Ukraine as “heroes” at last year’s 9 May event.

Oleg Gordievsky, a Soviet KGB officer who helped change the course of the Cold War by covertly passing secrets to the UK, has died at home in England.

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office has revoked accreditation for a Russian diplomat and a diplomatic spouse in retaliation for expulsions announced in Moscow this week.

The move follows a series of expulsions between the UK and Russia, escalating diplomatic tensions amid the ongoing war in Ukraine.

The US president took aim at Moscow after Russia launched a large-scale barrage of missile and drone attacks on Ukraine overnight.

However local emergency services in some regions cancelled events, saying it was too hazardous for worshippers to cut bathing holes in icy ponds and rivers

Vladimir Putin and Masoud Pezeshkian, the Russian and Iranian presidents, announced closer ties between their nations at an event in Moscow.

Moscow in winter has a special charm. There are plenty of sights and activities to explore, from skating in Europe’s largest ice rink to discovering the palaces and parks of times gone by.