Europe's human rights court has ruled that Russia must pay damages and legal costs to Americans who were barred from adopting Russian children.

President Vladimir Putin began his annual marathon news conference by praising Russia’s economic growth, but added that the government had much to do to reduce inequalities in Russians' standards of living.

WALES believe Russia will be running scared of Ryan Giggs in their Euro 2004 play-off showdown.

Liam Neeson has taken on the Russians in his latest movie, K-19: The Widowmaker.