The Kremlin has not changed its stance on its territorial demands from Ukraine, Moscow said, rejecting speculation that Russia might have scaled back its terms for a possible ceasefire to end the war.

Also last month, Sberbank CEO German Gref, one of Russia’s top banking chiefs, said the economy was in “technical stagnation,” And in June, Economy Minister Maxim Reshetnikov warned that Russia was “on the brink” of a recession.

Russia is analysing the latest Western sanctions, and will act according to its interests, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Friday.

President Donald Trump imposed sanctions on Russia's largest oil companies Rosneft and Lukoil while canceling his planned summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Soaring fuel prices and refinery shutdowns leave pumps empty across Russia, with the Kremlin warning gas station owners not to raise prices.

Russia is prepared to expand cooperation with Iran in all areas, the Kremlin said on Monday. Moscow has close relations with Tehran and condemned U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iranian nuclear sites earlier this year that were carried out with the stated aim of preventing Tehran from acquiring a nuclear bomb.

U.S. President Donald Trump has done a turnaround on sanctions against Russia, taking aim at Russia's two biggest oil companies and the billions of dollars they reap for Moscow's war against Ukraine.

Russia’s top economic envoy has arrived in the United States for “official” talks just days after President Donald Trump announced tough new sanctions on Russia, sources with knowledge of the visit have told CNN.

When they are not fighting, they write poetry, letters home or words of praise to their supreme commander,” said one of the directors at Moscow's Museum of Victory.

Russia has grappled with a shrinking and aging population for decades, with President Vladimir Putin viewing it as a threat to national security.