Manufactured in January 1976, the An-24 had reached the end of its planned service life but continued flying after its airworthiness certificate was renewed, the Moscow Times reported.

The announcement appears to preclude any kind of top-level meeting or breakthrough ahead of the 50-day deadline for an agreement given by President Donald Trump.

Ukraine, Russia hold third round of peace talks in Istanbul * Ukrainian drones reportedly target key logistics hub in southwestern Russia * Russia suffered 80,000 casualties during Kursk incursion, Ukraine's military chief says * 'He sees Trump as emotional and susceptible to influence' — Putin not worried about 50-day ceasefire deadline,

Falling inflation has persuaded the central bank in Moscow to continue relaxing the country’s record borrowing costs.

Russian Central Bank Governor Elvira Nabiullina and her deputy Alexei Zabotkin addressed a news conference on Friday after the central bank cut its key rate to 18% from 20%.

Friday marked the second-straight time the Bank of Russia cut its interest rate after it lowered borrowing costs in early June.

Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard on Wednesday declassified additional materials on the intelligence community's assessment of Russia's actions in the 2016 election, claiming in a social media post and at a White House press briefing that they showed Obama administration officials "manufactured" information in order to undermine then-candidate Donald Trump.

One day after President Donald Trump accused former President Barack Obama of treason over the intelligence assessment that Russia interfered in the 2016 election and sought to help Trump, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard declassified a highly sensitive congressional report she claimed was more evidence of a “treasonous conspiracy.