The Belarusian central electoral commission on Tuesday refused to register the imprisoned main rival to President Alexander Lukashenko as a candidate for the country's presidential election on 9 August, news wires reported. A new wave of opposition candidates are seeking to unseat the 65-year-old strongman leader of the authoritarian ex-Soviet state, who is seeking his sixth term as president.

Hungary's president Janos Ader called on Ukraine and Romania on Tuesday to stop polluting two major rivers that flow across Hungary after floods in the past weeks brought in "dirty carpets" of plastic bottles from its neighbours.

Russians appeared to have paved the way for Vladimir Putin to stay in power until 2036 by voting overwhelmingly for a package of constitutional changes, initial results of a nationwide vote showed. Partial results, announced five hours before polls closed, indicate the former KGB officer who has ruled Russia for more than two decades will win the right to run for two more terms. That means he could remain president for 16 more years.

Russian President Vladimir Putin's main political project of the year - a constitutional vote that would allow him to extend his rule until 2036 - drew closer to completion as Russia held a nationwide ballot on Wednesday.

Russians started on Thursday casting early votes in a nationwide ballot on constitutional reforms that could see President Vladimir Putin remain in power until 2036, news wires reported. Election officials opened polls ahead of the official 1 July vote to avoid overcrowding that could spread coronavirus infections.

Vladimir Putin is considering running for a new term as Russia’s president if voters approve constitutional changes that would enable him to do so, Russian news agencies quoted him as saying in an interview on Sunday.

Russia's Foreign Ministry on Monday ordered two Czech diplomats to leave the country in a quid pro quo response to Prague's expulsion of Russian diplomats, news wires reported. The ministry said it summoned the Czech ambassador to inform him about the move, saying the two diplomats must leave Russia by Wednesday.

The IMF Executive Board on Tuesday approved an 18-month stand-By arrangement for Ukraine, which Kiev says is needed to stave off default as the coronavirus pandemic plunges the country's economy into recession, news wires reported. Ukraine will receive an immediate disbursement of about $2.1bn.

The Russian capital will end on Tuesday the tight lockdown imposed more than two months ago, as the coronavirus cases show a slowdown. Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said that starting 9 June residents will no longer be required to obtain electronic passes for travel and can walk, use public transport and drive without any restrictions. Hairdressers and beauty salons will be allowed to reopen also on Tuesday, and cafes and restaurants will be able to open outdoor terraces starting 16 June.

An unprecedented fuel spill that has polluted huge stretches of Arctic rivers was caused by melting permafrost, Russian officials said Friday, ordering a review of infrastructure in vulnerable zones.