Three men accused in the latest Russian spy case in the United States didn't hide behind fake identities and weren't stealing military secrets. They even appeared annoyed that their assignment wasn't more like a James Bond film.

FRANKFURT — Ruble weakness could cost Metro AG about 200 million euros ($230 million) in operating profit if the Russian currency keeps trading at about 80 per euro, Chief Executive Olaf Koch told WirtschaftsWoche in an interview to be published on Monday.

A prominent Russian space expert has been dismissed from his position with a state-run research center in a move that he says is politically motivated, after criticizing a massive space industry reform project in an interview with the BBC.

Russia's economy ministry said on Saturday it expected gross domestic product to fall 3 percent this year, more optimistic than many analysts' forecasts of a 4-5 percent drop.

Peace talks on Ukraine collapsed on Saturday after just over four hours with no tangible progress towards a new ceasefire but with Ukraine's representative and separatist envoys angrily accusing each other of sabotaging the meeting.

The landmark victory of radical leftist party Syriza in Greece's general election Sunday signals the country will strive to increase its ties with the Russian government, but will likely be unsuccessful in any attempts to sway European Union policies on Russia, political analysts said Monday.

Discussions among European leaders about new sanctions have again raised fears that the SWIFT payment system might be cut off, a move that experts warn would wreak financial havoc on Russia.

The most popular first names in Moscow over the past century and those currently gaining in popularity reveal an inverse dynamic, with several pre-revolutionary favorites making a strong comeback.

City architectural preservationists are up in arms after the almost complete demolition of a famous Moscow Art Nouveau complex just a few hundred meters from the Kremlin.

Despite a recent dip, gasoline prices in Russia are expected to surge this spring on the back of growing demand, prompting fuel shortages and queues at gas stations, analysts said Tuesday.