Russia’s Culture Ministry has banned a satirical film about Soviet leader Joseph Stalin’s death from cinemas following criticism from communists and others that the British-French production made a mockery of Russian history.

A well-known journalist at Russia's leading news radio station has been stabbed in the throat by an attacker who burst into her studio - the latest in a string of assaults on journalists or opposition activists in Moscow.

Specialist police with nuclear and chemical training gave the all-clear at the British home of former Russian business magnate Boris Berezovsky yesterday, a day after the fervent critic of Russian president Vladimir Putin died in unclear circumstances.