WASHINGTON, Nov. 26 (UPI) -- Almost two months before President-elect Barack Obama takes office, U.S. and Russian diplomats already have been meeting quietly in Moscow to explore the possibility of a new negotiating process to defuse tensions between the two thermonuclear superpowers over U.S. plans to deploy ballistic missile defense systems in Central Europe.

WASHINGTON, Sept. 12 (UPI) -- The Russian five-day blitzkrieg that conquered one-third of Georgia for negligible losses carried a grim warning for the next president of the United States, whether he is John McCain or Barack Obama: Major land wars that could involve U.S. armed forces against formidable opponents are no longer inconceivable.

WASHINGTON, Sept. 11 (UPI) -- Two Russian Tupolev Tu-160 White Swan supersonic bombers landed Wednesday night in Venezuela, where they were personally acclaimed by President Hugo Chavez as heralding the end of Yankee imperialism.

WASHINGTON, Sept. 3 (UPI) -- Watch for possible tensions and dangerous taunting close encounters between Russia's Black Sea Fleet with U.S. and other NATO warships bringing relief or watching guard over the embattled former Soviet republic of Georgia.

MOSCOW, Aug. 30 (UPI) -- A retired Russian naval commander says the country's Black Sea Fleet could easily destroy a contingent of NATO vessels now in the region.

MOSCOW, Aug. 31 (UPI) -- The Russian Navy's northern fleet is holding a day of mourning Sunday for nine nuclear submarine crew members believed lost in the Barents Sea.