U.S. auto maker Ford Motor Co (F.N) will take control of its Russian venture with Sollers (SVAV.MM) and provide it with additional financial support, the Russian firm said on Friday.

Ukraine has asked for 1 billion cubic meters of gas imports from Russia in April, trebling the amount it received in March, Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak said on Saturday.

Russian President Vladimir Putin and Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras plan to discuss economic ties and the European Union's sanctions against Moscow when they meet for talks next week, a Kremlin spokesman said on Friday.

Russia faces a protracted recession as the impact of Western sanctions lingers and oil prices stay low, the World Bank said in a report published on Wednesday.

British toy store Hamleys opened its largest shop in the world on Tuesday in central Moscow despite an economic downturn in Russia that is forcing buyers to cut back on spending.

Trafigura [TRAFGF.UL] is emerging as the new king of Russian oil trading, expanding its deal with sanctions-hit Rosneft to export $500 million worth of crude in April from the Baltic, the Mediterranean and Pacific ports, market sources said.

Russian President Vladimir Putin proposed on Friday creating a regional currency union with Belarus and Kazakhstan, Russia's main partners in a union of ex-Soviet states facing growing economic challenges.

Finance Minister Anton Siluanov said on Thursday the worst was over for Russia's economy, which has been hit by Western economic sanctions over the Ukraine crisis and the fall in global oil prices.

The European Union has backed Euratom's decision to block Hungary's 12 billion euro nuclear deal with Russia, a move that could worsen the situation between the Kremlin and Brussels, the Financial Times reported.

Russia's Gazprom (GAZP.MM) said on Tuesday there were "serious" risks to gas transit to Europe via Ukraine after Kiev failed to make a pre-payment.