Former U.S. intelligence contractor Edward Snowden -- who has been granted asylum by Russia -- criticized the country's crackdown on human rights and online freedom Saturday as "wrong... disappointing and frustrating".

Snowden called Moscow's restrictions on the web "a mistake in policy" and "fundamentally wrong" as he accepted a Norwegian freedom of expression prize by videophone from Russia.

Two of the U.S. Air Force's most advanced planes, F-22 Raptor stealth fighters, made a landmark visit to Estonia Friday, the first time the state-of-the-art aircraft have visited former Soviet territory.

The visit comes as tensions are running high with neighboring Russia over its role in the conflict in Ukraine.

The White House on Thursday said it was closely monitoring reports that Russia is carrying out military operations in Syria, warning such actions, if confirmed, would be "destabilizing and counter-productive." 

"We are aware of reports that Russia may have deployed military personnel and aircraft to Syria, and we are monitoring those reports quite closely," said spokesman Josh Earnest. 

NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg said Thursday a renewed ceasefire in eastern Ukraine and Kiev’s decentralization reforms created a new opportunity for peace and asked Moscow to stop backing the rebels.

"I welcome the efforts to have a renewed ceasefire," Stoltenberg said, referring to an agreement between the government and separatists to end ceasefire violations from Tuesday as children went back to school.

Chinese President Xi Jinping lauded his country as a major power and a force for world peace Thursday as he presided over a spectacular military parade marking the 70th anniversary of Japan's defeat in World War II.

With concerns rife over China's rise, Xi announced that the People's Liberation Army -- the world's largest military -- would be reduced by 300,000 personnel, although the defense ministry said the cuts would mainly fall on outdated units and non-combat staff.

The United States is co-hosting drills in the Black Sea with what is left of Ukraine's devastated navy, which lost about two thirds of its sailors and ships after Russia seized Crimea last year.

The maritime operation, dubbed Sea Breeze, began Tuesday and is an annual exercise that this year includes contingents from 11 countries practicing air defense, search-and-rescue procedures and a variety of other tactical maneuvers aimed at boosting regional security.

Russia said Wednesday it was still considering the details of how to establish a U.N. team to investigate chemical weapons attacks in Syria, holding up final Security Council approval to launch the probe.

Last month, Russia -- a key ally of President Bashar Assad's regime -- joined the 14 other council members in adopting a resolution setting up the team, in a rare display of unity over how to address the deadly conflict.

NATO on Tuesday activated command units in six central and eastern European members to boost defense amid regional tensions over Russia's actions in Ukraine, Lithuania's defense ministry said.

"NATO today officially activated NATO force integration units in Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Poland, Bulgaria and Romania," ministry spokeswoman Asta Galdikaite told AFP.

A group of intrepid Syrian migrants have found a new, albeit long, way into Europe -- through Russia and into Norway's Arctic, some of them cycling across the border.

Refugees fleeing the war-torn country have either flown to Moscow before traveling north to Norway, according to Hans Mollebakken, the police chief in the Arctic town of Kirkenes, who said some may have also spent some time in Russia.

One policeman was killed and dozens injured Monday in street battles with protesters in Kiev as Ukrainian lawmakers gave their initial backing to controversial legislation granting more autonomy to pro-Kremlin rebel regions.

It was the worst unrest in the capital since a bloody popular uprising ousted Moscow-backed Viktor Yanukovych early last year, an event that set in train the separatist insurgency in Ukraine's industrial east.