Russian president castigates US and its allies for their colonialist history, links hands with leaders of Moscow-backed Ukrainian regions in show of unity after signing accession

Zelensky says Kyiv has already proven its fitness for world's largest military alliance on battlefield; moves set countries on high-stakes collision course

Russian leader signs treaties after referendum derided in West as sham, says residents of Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia are its 'citizens forever'

The Russian president has threatened to use battlefield nukes in Ukraine, but such a move would achieve little and could set in motion unstoppable full-scale nuclear war with West

Kazakhstan confirms 98,000 arrivals since Putin announced military mobilization; Georgia reports 10,000 entries per day; White House says US welcomes Russian asylum seekers

Japan's chief cabinet secretary calls the allegations 'completely groundless,' says formal apology demanded over Moscow's 'absolutely unacceptable' treatment of consular official

The former US security contractor who escaped prosecution in the US after leaking classified documents detailing government surveillance programs has lived in Russia since 2013

Children among victims at school that educated kids between grades 1 and 11; gunman shot himself; no details on motive

While some say they are fleeing to avoid conscription for ideological reasons, others say that while they support Putin and the invasion of Ukraine, they cannot afford to go to war

Potential conscripts fill up flights to seek refuge abroad, including in Israel; Belarussian security forces reportedly tracking down deserters