Corey Flintoff

As relations between the world's two biggest nuclear powers deteriorate, the treaties and dialogue that kept Russia and the U.S. from nuclear war are fraying.

Russia celebrated the 70th anniversary of Nazi Germany's defeat with massive displays of power and accusations that the West is distorting the Soviet Union's rightful role in history.

The leaders of Russia, Ukraine, Germany and France met in Belarus on Wednesday in an effort to stop the war in Ukraine. The negotiation comes amid the heaviest fighting yet in eastern Ukraine, where Russian-backed rebels have been gaining ground in a fierce offensive.

Russia's seizure of Crimea has been widely criticized. But what if Crimea was given away illegally to Ukraine back in 1954? Russian lawmakers are hard at work on their own version of history.

Civilians in villages near the front lines in Eastern Ukraine are being forced to leave their homes as fighting intensifies between Government forces and Russian-back separatists.

The eastern Ukrainian city of Donetsk has been under siege and subject to artillery and rocket attacks for months — residents are living in stressful conditions and the separatist militia is jumpy.

The Russian ruble hit new lows on Tuesday despite efforts by the country's central bank to stop the selling. The currency lost 11 percent of its value.

Russian performers who have criticized the country's role in Ukraine have been denounced on TV programs and had concert dates abruptly canceled.

Nearly 30 percent of Russian children with disabilities end up in state orphanages, where they can suffer neglect and abuse at understaffed facilities, according to a human rights group.

Separatists in eastern Ukraine held their own elections on Sunday. The government in Kiev calls it "an illegal farce," saying pro-Moscow militants control the process.