PUTIN

In Russia, Donald Trump's inauguration had some feeling optimistic about the future, while others found in it an opportunity for self-promotion, merchandising and of course, celebration.

Russian President Vladimir Putin was has been announced as the winner of the first Hugo Chavez Prize for Peace and Sovereignty.

The Obama-Putin relationship started with optimism for better relations, but is now wholly broken.

In 2013, federal prosecutors charged Edward Snowden with "unauthorized communication of national defense information" and "willful communication of classified intelligence information to an unauthorized person" under the 1917 Espionage Act.

Russian President Vladimir Putin also claimed that the unsubstantiated allegations were orchestrated to undermine the legitimacy of the U.S. election results.

The Kremlin implemented the embargo against Western food imports in retaliation for sanctions that targeted Russia's energy industry.

The Kremlin passed internet regulations last year that Edward Snowden called "Big Brother" laws.

A Kremlin spokesman dismissed the report and said that the allegations could be a ploy to hurt bilateral relations between the U.S. and Russia.

“The Communications Ministry has nothing to do with it; we don’t know anything about it,” Russia’s Deputy Communications Minister Alexey Volin reportedly said.

The declassified assessment by the NSA, CIA and FBI published last week said Russian hackers relayed the information to transparency group WikiLeaks which then published the emails.

Trump's pick for secretary of state Rex Tillerson is set to lose $7 million by advancing the retirement deal, as compared to his original exit plan slated for March.

"Happy Cinco de Mayo, I'll take a taco bowl, get out of the country. Love," Colbert said in one joke.

The two countries have been allies for a long time

Some senators are concerned with Trump's cozy relationship with Russia.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights had reported clashes between rebels and government troops, potentially jeopardizing a year-end peace deal.

The FBI and the Department of Homeland Security dubbed the Russian operation “Grizzly Steppe,” which they said is still underway.

Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, in an interview Monday evening, vowed to get to the bottom of the issue but said a new Senate committee to look into cybersecurity was unnecessary.

The man allegedly tried to enter the embassy armed with a pump action shotgun and fired at least eight bullets before being apprehended by security guards.

The FBI reportedly agrees with the CIA's assessment that Russia intervened with the U.S. elections in order to help Donald Trump win the presidency.

Russian President Vladimir Putin’s net favorable rating among Republicans has jumped from -66 points in 2014 to -10 points in December 2016, according to a YouGov/Economist poll.

Rex Tillerson, Donald Trump's pick to become the next secretary of state, has a unique background despite a lack of public-office experience.