The Trump administration on Wednesday imposed sanctions on Russia’s two largest oil companies as it called on Moscow to agree to an immediate ceasefire in the war with Ukraine.

Russia, the world's second largest oil exporter, is weighing how to respond to U.S. sanctions on top oil firms Rosneft and Lukoil and the prospect of lower sales to its biggest buyer, India.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation said the United States is escalating covert operations in Latin America, adding that the U.S. Navy destroyed six alleged drug-running vessels in the Caribbean and the CIA was authorized for secret missions in Venezuela.

Russian state news agency Izvestia has reported two explosions at an "enterprise" in the city last night and that 12 people were killed. As yet the cause of the blast is unconfirmed. The footage we've seen indicates the explosions occurred at the munitions plant, which is located near to the city of Chelyabinsk in the Urals region.

Russia secretly used front companies to buy Western technology and erect a surveillance net in the Arctic where its submarines operate, an investigation shows.

LONDON (AP) — British counterterrorism police arrested three men in London on Thursday on suspicion of spying for Russia.

But Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Tuesday dismissed the idea of halting the conflict at the current contact line. Moscow was only interested in "long-term, sustainable peace", Lavrov said, implying that freezing the front line would only amount to a temporary ceasefire.

EU countries on Thursday formally adopted a 19th package of sanctions against Russia for its war against Ukraine that includes a ban on Russian liquefied natural gas imports.