New research shows Russia isn’t a direct heir to Kyivan Rus and only got its modern name by the 18th century. Here’s what history really tells us about origins.

Powerful explosions shook the Russian city of Belgorod near the Ukraine border, cutting electricity, water and heat. Eyewitnesses and local officials describe dramatic overnight blasts.

Belarus has stepped up operational and combat training close to the Ukrainian border, raising regional security stakes as tensions deepen and preparedness checks expand.

For the first time in months, trapped residents of Melitopol have been permitted to use a single evacuation corridor into occupied Crimea — a rare lifeline amid the war.