Russian regions are being forced to slash spending on cancer medications amid growing costs, new data has revealed. Statistics for 2016 show that spending on oncology treatment has fallen in almost half of Russia's 85 regions, Russian tabloid Izvestia reported Wednesday. Some areas cut funds by almost half, with the Far Eastern republic of Sakhalin decreasing its annual spending by 48.5 percent.

Secretary of State Rex Tillerson (R) and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, walk at the State Department in Washington. Carolyn Kaster / AP U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson is working hard to save what remains of the U.S.-Russia relationship. He appears to have a mandate from President Trump to see what can be done with Russia. At the same time , however, this “Russia thing” — as Trump describes it on Twitter — makes engaging with Moscow politically poisonous.

Alexander Zemlianichenko / AP The Kremlin has denied accusations that military footage it used to showcased the Russian airforce in Syria was a repurposed U.S. clip from 2013. The footage appeared during an interview by U.S. director Oliver Stone during his latest program, "The Putin Interviews." The president told Stone that the video depicted a Russian attack on Islamic State militants, but researchers and viewers said that the clip was "almost identical" to U.S.

Vedomosti Any Muscovite will tell you that it's tough to find a place to stay in Russia's bustling capital. But for ethnic minorities, ingrained racism can make the search almost impossible. It is illegal for Russian landlords to discriminate on the basis of race, ethnicity or nationality. But the city's property listings tell a different story. Many advertisements stipulate that any potential tenants must be of Slavic origin.

Showtime American filmmaker Oliver Stone has faced intense criticism since the release of his 4-hour “Putin Interviews” earlier this month. Critics have assailed Stone for giving a platform to the Russian president and asking softball questions. But the controversial film, currently being broadcast on Russian state television, has its intriguing moments.