Russia Security Services Day

President Vladimir Putin said the situation in four areas of Ukraine that Moscow has declared are part of Russia was "extremely difficult" as Kyiv renewed calls for more weapons.

Kazakhstan President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev on Monday described days of historic unrest in his Central Asian country as a coup attempt and vowed his security services would never shoot peaceful protesters.

Russian President Vladimir Putin met on Tuesday with the United States' national security advisor on the second day of the latter's visit to Moscow and told him that his government was puzzled by the US' moves such as withdrawing from a Cold War-era nuclear arms control pact, which he said were hard to describe as friendly.

Security services in Russia and Ukraine said on Monday they had foiled a plot to kill Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, but his opponents ridiculed the announcement as a campaign stunt six days before he runs in Russia's presidential election.

President Vladimir Putin said the situation in four areas of Ukraine that Moscow has declared are part of Russia was "extremely difficult" as Kyiv renewed calls for more weapons.

Kazakhstan President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev on Monday described days of historic unrest in his Central Asian country as a coup attempt and vowed his security services would never shoot peaceful protesters.

Russian President Vladimir Putin met on Tuesday with the United States' national security advisor on the second day of the latter's visit to Moscow and told him that his government was puzzled by the US' moves such as withdrawing from a Cold War-era nuclear arms control pact, which he said were hard to describe as friendly.

Security services in Russia and Ukraine said on Monday they had foiled a plot to kill Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, but his opponents ridiculed the announcement as a campaign stunt six days before he runs in Russia's presidential election.