Authorities in Latvia called the agency an instrument of Russian propaganda and misinformation. The decision to block the website is related to sanctions imposed on Russia by the European Union.

Latvia denied the agency the right to use the domain .lv for the news portal Sputnik Latvia, as reported by internet portal Delfi on March 29th. As reflected in the official letter received by the management of Sputnik Latvia on behalf of the NIC registrar, "registration of the domain name sputniknews. …

Washington is not considering the possibility of exchanging sentenced Ukrainian Pilot, Nadiya Savchenko, for Russians convicted by the United States."We do not consider this possibility," the spokesman for the US Embassy in Moscow, Will Stevens, told RBC. The US Ambassador to Ukraine, Geoffrey Pyatt, in turn, has called reports of such talks "ridiculous," RIA Novosti reported. Earlier, Interfax, citing informed sources, reported that Moscow is negotiating the exchange of Savchenko for a group …

Japan expressed concern about the statement made by Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu about the plans to deploy missile systems on the Kuril Islands. "We informed the Russian party through diplomatic channels that we are concerned about the statement of the Head of the Defense Ministry," the Chief Cabinet Secretary of Japan, Suga Yoshihide, said on Monday. According to him, Tokyo made it clear to Moscow that the strengthening of the Russian military infrastructure within the disputed …