In the news: Igor Girkin (Strelkov), the Kremlin-linked ex-rebel leader, reappears amid Russia-Ukraine clash fallout and war-crime scrutiny. Born 1970, ex‑militant and organizer.
Russia has staged a markedly reduced Victory Day parade on Red Square, omitting tanks and heavy armor but displaying missiles and new weapons on screens. President Vladimir Putin has delivered a public address amid heightened security as Kyiv and Moscow exchange threats over the war in Ukraine.