The Kremlin-controlled Russian parliament has rammed through a harsh bill that raises fines 150-fold for people taking part in unsanctioned rallies, in a move aimed at discouraging the opposition from challenging President Vladimir Putin.

As the Russian people begin to tire of his stunts, it is high time Vladimir Putin left the political spotlight, writes Nina L Khrushcheva

Russia’s influential finance minister was forced from office following a televised confrontation with President Dmitry Medvedev.

RUSSIA’S finance minister rebelled yesterday against Vladimir Putin’s plan to make President Dmitry Medvedev his prime minister if he returns to the Kremlin by saying he would not serve in the next government.

RUSSIA basked in the limelight yesterday as the future first-time host of the World Cup in 2018, but media questioned how the country will pay the bill which they said could reach €37 billion.

London: Russian banks may buy stakes in Britain’s “large” financial companies, said Finance Minister Alexei Kudrin.

President Dmitry Medvedev unveiled new measures today to prop up Russia’s shattered banking system, injecting billions of rubles to ease a liquidity shortage one day after the country’s stocks suffered their worst-ever day of trading.

Russian prime minister Vladimir Putin reshuffled the Russian government today in his first major action since leaving the Kremlin.

Russian president Vladimir Putin named a new economics and health minister and retained the current foreign and defence ministers today, ahead of crucial parliamentary and presidential elections.

British Prime Minister Tony Blair hoped to secure the backing of Russian President Vladimir Putin at their meeting today for Britain’s ambitious G8 goals of lifting Africa out of poverty and tackling climate change.

Russia is pouring almost €4.5bn in additional funding into its security agencies, the first concrete new step in the anti-terrorism battle that President Vladimir Putin has called the country’s major priority.

President Vladimir Putin today outlined economic goals for his second term, ordering his Cabinet to carry out a sweeping reform of Russia’s tax system in order to encourage economic growth and reduce poverty.

Russia’s finance minister Alexei Kudrin urged citizens not to worry about the recent decline of the US dollar, telling them in a televised interview that it is not necessary to shift their savings out of the currency because it will not fall dramatically.