Russia
Russia’s CBR maintains key rate at 16%
The board of the Central Bank of Russia (CBR) resolved to keep the key interest rate unchanged at 16% at the policy meeting on April 26, making a third meeting in a row that the rate is maintained flat.
Cheap Russian drones overwhelm US-made Abrams tanks, taken out of action
Ukrainian forces are withdrawing U.S.-provided Abrams M1A1 battle tanks from the front lines after at least 5 have been destroyed by cheap Russian drones.
BOFIT: The long-awaited new US aid package brings military support to Ukraine
After a long wait, the US aid package for Ukraine of almost $61bn got the last seal with President Biden's signature on April 24, 2024. The sizeable package focuses especially on military material aid.
European Parliament rules Russia’s presidential election illegitimate, calls Putin a "murderer"
In a sting blow for the Kremlin, the European Parliament ruled that Russia’s presidential election was illegitimate and blamed Russian President Vladimir Putin personally for the “murder” of opposition activist Alexei Navalny.
Bankers reassessing accelerating climate crisis in anticipation of trillions of dollars of annual damage
As the climate crisis accelerates, banks are facing increasing financial risks and have begun to try to assess their exposure to the trillions of dollars of damage extreme weather will do every year.
Putinomics: Russia’s oil and gas revenue to double in April
Russia’s oil and gas revenues surged in the first three months of this year by 79%, but Reuters calculated they will double in April compared to the same month a year earlier, the newswire reported on April 24.
US secretly sent long-range missiles to Ukraine in February
The US secretly sent Ukraine long-range missiles in February ahead of the new $61bn aid package on April 20 that Kyiv used for the first time this week.
Russia already treating Bosnia’s Republika Srpska as an independent state
Use of Republika Srpska’s flag alongside national flags at St Petersburg conference seen as a possible green light by Russia for Bosnian Serb leader Milorad Dodik’s secession plans.
CEE recovering but no full rebound in sight, says wiiw
Germany’s slow recovery is dampening growth prospects for Central and Southeast European economies.
Russian Deputy Defence Minister suspected of treason, say reports
Russian Deputy Defence Minister Timur Ivanov, arrested on April 23 on charges of bribery, may actually have been arrested for treason, independent Russian media has reported.
Sunak and Scholz promise to back Ukraine as UK hikes defence spending
British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak met with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz in Berlin and promised closer defence cooperation as the UK announced a large hike in defence spending.
Tajikistan striving to convince the world that it can contain terrorism
Dushanbe’s strategy ignores underlying sources of radicalisation.
Russian oil depo at Yartsevo in the Smolensk region set on fire by Ukrainian drone attack
Ukraine drones hit and set on fire the RosNeft oil depot in the Yartsevo, Smolensk region as the sun began to rise on April 24.
Czech prosecutors indict former president's top aide for embezzlement
Vratislav Mynar was at the centre of many of the scandals surrounding Milos Zeman's two terms as president.
President Duda says Poland 'ready' to host nuclear weapons
Government queries president's comments, while Moscow attacks them as "provocative".
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Europe unlikely to tackle Russian LNG imports anytime soon
The European Parliament voted in favour of rules earlier this month that would enable individual EU member states to block Russian LNG imports, by preventing Russian companies from booking capacity at gas infrastructure.
COMMENT: Can China compensate for Russia’s losses on the European gas market?
“Building the Power of Siberia 2 gas pipeline from Russia to China is a rational decision that would have made sense even before the war, but the project will never be able to replace Russia’s decimated gas trade with Europe."
COLLINGWOOD: Ukraine’s power blackout means a dark future
In the last week, two pieces of legislation have been passed, one in Kyiv and one in Washington, that appear to go some way to addressing the most pressing problems Ukraine faces in its war with Russia. They do not.
Russian hypersonic aircraft scientist sentenced to prison for treason
Alexander Kuranov, a top Russian scientist once at the forefront of hypersonic technology development, has been sentenced to a seven-year prison sentence for high treason.
US passes Ukraine aid package: what now?
The US stepped forward to rescue Ukraine on April 21 that has been staring defeat in the face, and not a moment too soon. But the aid won't solve many of Ukraine's remaining problems nor will it allow Kyiv to win the war.