Meanwhile, Emergencies' Minister vows better space monitoring of flooding as plans underway to stop a repeat of 2013 crisis.

'Shocking' pictures revealed online by campaign exposing the alleged failings. 

‘Taiga burning’ - as scared bears are driven out of their natural habitat towards settlements where they are shot as danger to people.

Flooding now covers an area almost as large as France, Germany and Britain combined, or close to the equivalent of Texas and California.

Lena Pillars, a World Heritage Site, hit by the rampant flames, as calls grow for greater efforts to tackle infernos.

Elsewhere in Primorsky region 94,000 people are still without electricity, 18,000 are without heating.

Colourful election as bears, tigers and half-naked gymnasts vote in record-breaking result.

Leading jeweller Alexey Baburov honoured by Hermitage Museum in St Petersburg.

Sinister teenagers hide behind Guy Fawlkes masks as they carry out acts of violence against helpless cat.

Olga Laponnikova, 44, cocooned the girl as the L-410 turboprop 'fell like a stone' into woodland a mile from runaway in Nelkan, eastern Russia.