President Vladimir Putin

During his annual news conference, Russia's leader also addressed accusations of Kremlin meddling in the U.S. election by saying Democrats "are trying to blame all their failures on external factors."

Speaking at a private event, the failed Democratic presidential candidate talked about the Russian president and what she believes contributed to her defeat to Donald Trump.

In recent years, the Russian president reportedly sought to use the movie star as an intermediary with President Obama.

When staffers arrived for work, they found a seal over the door declaring that they were not allowed to enter without a city official. Amnesty calls it "an unwelcome surprise."

Nearly a year after Mikhail Lesin was found dead in a Washington, D.C., hotel, U.S. authorities say he died of blunt force injuries and that "acute ethanol intoxication" was a contributory cause.

Russia says two of its servicemen were killed by Ukrainian forces firing into Crimea. Ukraine's president said the Russian claims are "fantasy."

The changes to the GOP platform also highlight a rare instance where Trump agrees with President Obama's policy.

In a new documentary titled The President, the Russian leader says seizing Crimea from Ukraine righted a historical wrong.

The Russian president's comments were part of a four-hour call-in TV show that has become an annual tradition. He also criticized the West for its treatment of Moscow.