The World Anti-doping Agency is "encouraged by this sign of progress" after president Vladimir Putin admitted Russia's anti-doping system had "failed" and urged it to reform.

Connacht Rugby’s nightmare return from Siberia continued yesterday, stranded in Moscow airport without knowing their final arrival time in Ireland.

Connacht are facing a trip to Siberia in the European Challenge Cup after losing out in a draw yesterday.

A resident of the Russian city of Krasnoyarsk captured a video of a freak snow storm hitting the city last week.

In other countries, you may be asked to give a push to a car stuck in the mud. In Russia, passengers in the Arctic came out of an airliner to the bitter cold to help it move to the runway.

Two members of the Russian punk band Pussy Riot were reunited today after spending nearly two years in prison for their protest at Moscow’s main cathedral and said they want to set up a human rights organisation.

A member of Russian punk band Pussy Riot has called for foreign countries to boycott February’s Winter Olympics, hours after she was freed from jail.

Imprisoned Pussy Riot band member Nadezhda Tolokonnikova has been transferred to a jail in Siberia, Russia’s human rights ombudsman said.

Off the hook

Leo Cullen will lead Ireland’s second string into World Cup battle against Russia demanding they match the standard set during Saturday’s victory over Australia.

Rob Kearney knows the importance of maintaining focus for Russia on Sunday.

Connacht 'A' are set to take on Russian side Enisei STM at the Sportsground on Tuesday, April 22.

RUSSIA’S President Vladimir Putin yesterday said a convincing victory for the party he is leading in next month’s parliamentary elections would give him the “moral right” to maintain strong influence after he steps down next year.

Police in a Siberian city have found the charred remains of several children and suspect they may be those of five boys who went missing in April, ending a massive three-week search, a regional prosecutor said today.

Residents of three sparsely populated Siberian regions have voted to reunite in a resource-rich territory that will be larger than Western Europe, Russian media reported today, extending the trend to increased Kremlin control over the country’s far-flung provinces.

A Russian seaman has died in an accident on board a nuclear submarine at a Pacific base.

A Russian seaman died in an accident on board a nuclear submarine at a Pacific base, a navy spokesman said today.

Ireland 35 Wales 12

Keith Wood will return to international rugby when he captains Ireland against Wales at Lansdowne Road on Saturday.

A female worker at a Siberian zoo has been mauled to death after a bear broke out of its cage, police said today.

Election officials in the vast Siberian region of Krasnoyarsk today invalidated the results of this month’s local election, citing numerous campaign and electoral violations, an official said.

AS approach routes go, Greystones to Lansdowne Road via Siberia is circuitous even by the low standards of Dublin’s traffic congestion.

AS WEEKENDS away go, Krasnoyarsk in eastern Siberia would not be the most obvious holiday destination.

THERE were plenty who believed making a weekend round trip to eastern Siberia was a pain in the neck, but Ireland skipper Keith Wood took the sentiment literally.

Ireland planted one foot firmly in next year’s World Cup finals with a comfortable victory in their potentially difficult World Cup qualifying encounter against Russia in Krasnoyarsk.

Ireland’s preparations for tomorrow’s World Cup qualifier against Russia suffered a minor upset en route to Siberia.

The Irish team to play Russia in a World Cup qualifier in Krasnoyarsk, on Saturday has been named.

ROMANIA vice captain Alin Petrache has simple advice for Ireland ahead of their World Cup qualifier against Russia — don’t give them the ball.

Leinster’s Brian O’Driscoll, Munster’s Ronan O’Gara and Ulster’s Gary Longwell will all sit out this weekend’s Celtic League fixtures after picking up injuries in the friendly against Romania on Saturday.

Romania vice-captain Alin Petrache has some simple advice for Ireland ahead of their World Cup qualifier against Russia – don’t give them the ball.

Nearly 20,000 acres of Siberian taiga are on fire today as a result of picnickers’ carelessness and warm, dry weather, emergency officials said.

Russian investigators today found the black box flight recorders from a helicopter crash that killed governor Alexander Lebed and seven others.

Alexander Lebed, the governor of the Krasnoyarsk territory and a former presidential candidate, died today when his helicopter crashed after hitting a power line, Russian emergency officials said.

Twenty-four people aboard a passenger plane were killed when the aircraft crashed in Russia after disappearing from radar screens.

Around 50 cars and four buses have been trapped in snow after an avalanche in southern Siberia.