Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov says regions of Ukraine where referendums are being held will be under Moscow’s “full protection” if they join Russia.

The United States had denounced as “irresponsible” a recent warning by Russian President Vladimir Putin that his country is prepared to use any means necessary to protect its territorial integrity.

One of Russia's most senior security officials says he favors holding referendums in the breakaway Donbass region of eastern Ukraine in order to formally make them part of Russia.

A delegation of 65 Russian companies is to hold talks with Iranian businesses starting September 19.

Presidents of Russia and China have called for re-shaping the international system at a summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization.

Chinese President Xi Jinping has called for regional countries to reshape the international order while speaking at the SCO summit in Uzbekistan, which has been touted as a challenge to Western global influence. 

Russian President Vladimir Putin says the process to excise the dollar from the world economy is "inevitable."