Moscow says the US troop deployment in Romania, near the Ukrainian border, is a threat against Russia.

More than 500 French soldiers arrive in a Romanian base near the Black Sea.

Another contingent of US troops land in southeastern Poland near the border with Ukraine as part of efforts to reinforce NATO’s military buildup in eastern Europe.

Russia has slammed the increasing military buildup by the United States in Eastern Europe and near Russian borders as "destructive" and said it will diminish the likelihood of finding a political solution to the current standoff over Ukraine.

Iran’s gas engineering firm signs a contract to supply services to Romania’s Gaz Vest.

To stem the growing tide of Covid-19 deaths and infections, authorities in Russia are moving to introduce tougher restrictions from next week, including shutting down all non-emergency businesses.

New COVID-19 infections in the region have surged alarmingly in recent months, averaging over 83,700 new cases per day.