Addressing this, Markov now quoted by Russian Telegram channels as saying he supports Putin “and no other leader” and that he has already explained away comments he made at an Azerbaijani media forum in late July.

We may never know why. The only crack in his pro-Kremlin position came recently & not over Ukraine: he was seen supporting Azerbaijan’s President Aliyev despite ties between Baku & Moscow souring. Apparently Russia’s war bloggers called for him to be labelled a foreign agent. .

WOAH. Sergei Markov – a high-profile pro-Kremlin political commentator, former advisor to and vocal supporter of President Putin and his “special military operation” in Ukraine – has been designated a “foreign agent”. Markov says he thinks it’s a mistake. .

Russia says its online public services platform #Gosuslugi has been coming under DDoS attack from abroad for the last few hours. Officially “all attacks are being successfully repelled” but @downdetector reporting a lot of complaints from people who can’t access the service.

This appears to contradict what the White House previously said on the matter - that plans were underway. Lavrov also told NBC that President Zelensky had said “no to everything” when presented with a number of principles necessary for progress on the peace deal.

“Putin is ready to meet Zelensky when the agenda [is] ready for a summit. And this agenda is not ready at all,” says Russian FM Sergei Lavrov. “President Trump suggested, after Anchorage, several points which we share and on some of them, we agreed. to show some flexibility.”.

Russia is reviving a Soviet-era Eastern Bloc answer to #Eurovision. In September, entries from some 20 countries - from China to Colombia - will take part in “Intervision”. Earlier this year the US said it’d join in, as Trump wooed Putin (& vice versa), and now we know who…

RT @BBCSteveR: After the meeting of Trump, Zelensky & European leaders one Russian paper says “Zelensky & Europeans poured sugar into the g….

RT @BBCSteveR: “Trump has adopted Russia’s position,” writes one Russian paper today. “He will present his peace ultimatum to Zelensky. And….

RT @BBCSteveR: Russian media are hailing the Alaska summit as a big win for Moscow: .• “a tactical victory for Russian diplomacy”.• “huge d….

Not a press conference.

RT @nicomaounis: A B2 Stealth bomber escorted by four F-35 flyover the Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, as Putin and Trump meet on the tarm….

.@BBCSteveR’s first impressions from the room on a US air base in Alaska where the Trump-Putin press conference will be held in a few hours’ time

Putin and Trump shake hands in Alaska. Pix: TASS

Russian state media say Vladimir Putin is on this plane that has just landed in Alaska

This is the location on Elmendorf-Richardson Air Force Base where we expect President Trump and President Putin to hold a press conference later today. Note the slogan…

Good morning from Elmendorf Air Force Base in Alaska. Just a few hours left till Presidents Trump and Putin arrive. The choreography of the event will be fascinating to watch. The Kremlin says talks could last 6-7 hours. Stay tuned.

RT @BBCSteveR: “Putin wants a good relationship with Trump. He also wants the capitulation of Ukraine.” Ahead of the Alaska summit Vladimir….

What do Putin and Trump each want from summit in Alaska? @BBCSteveR and @awzurcher report from Anchorage.