Topic: Dmitry Peskov

Russia launched a series of fresh attacks throughout Ukraine on Monday as Moscow persisted with retaliating for Kyiv's counteroffensive this month, which has taken away thousands of square miles from Russian forces.

Ukrainian forces kept up the pressure on retreating Russian troops on Tuesday in the country's northeast and military officials said that Kyiv's counteroffensive has regained more than 2,400 square miles of territory.

Ukrainian officials said Monday that its forces have captured more territory as part of its lightning counteroffensive in the northeastern part of the country that has surprised many, including Moscow.

President Vladimir Putin attended large-scale military exercises on Tuesday involving China and other Russia-friendly countries, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.

Six people, including two Russian staff members, died on Monday in a suicide bombing in front of the Russian embassy in Kabul, Russian and Taliban officials said Monday.

Russian President Vladimir Putin will not attend the funeral for former leader Mikhail Gorbachev because of other commitments, the Kremlin said on Thursday.

The European Union announced Tuesday that it will start rationing natural gas in the face of Russia's pullback on energy over sanctions the bloc placed on the Kremlin for its invasion of Ukraine.

Russian officials said Monday that attacks on a critical port city in the south of Ukraine over the weekend will not affect a new agreement to allow resumption of grain shipments.

The Russian government officially missed bond payments on international debt for the first time in a century on Sunday because of Western sanctions that limited access to the global capital markets.

After months of relentless shelling of Severodonetsk by Russian troops, Ukrainian officials said they will withdraw troops from the key eastern hub city on Friday.