Russia
October 2023 capped the hottest 12 months in recorded history
A new analysis of international data, released by Climate Central, reveals that global temperatures have broken records over the past 12 months.
KYIV BLOG: Grain, grain go away…
There are two important grain stories in the list today. Firstly, Ukraine is on course to bring in a bumper harvest, but thanks to the war with Russia grain exports are down by a third in recent months and Ukraine’s farms are loss-making.
Russian grain farmers anticipating another record-breaking harvest
Russian grain farmers are anticipating a potentially record-breaking harvest during the current agriculture season of over 150mn tonnes of grain, according to Arkady Zlochevsky, the president of the Russian Grain Union.
Russia reportedly prepares to lift fuel restrictions
Russian fuel producers have been informed by the government that they should get ready for the lifting of restrictions on diesel and gasoline exports.
Report links Ukraine’s top general Zaluzhny to the Nord Stream 1 & 2 pipelines bombing
Roman Chervinsky, a colonel in Ukraine’s Special Operations Forces, was an integral part of the destruction of the Nord Stream 1 & 2 pipelines, an investigation by the Washington Post and Der Spiegel reported on November 11.
EU will miss 1mn artillery shell March supply deadline as Ukraine's ammo crisis deepens
The EU is unlikely to meet the March 2024 deadline to deliver its pledged 1mn artillery shells to Ukraine, which will exacerbate a growing ammunition crisis in its war against Russia.
Russian inflation rises again to 6.7% in October
The rest of the economy is performing well thanks to the so-called military Keynesianism boost from massive war-spending, leading Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin to declare “the worst is over” in September, despite rising inflation.
STOLYPIN: No peace talks for Ukraine, but at least peace thoughts
There aren’t yet talks between Russia and Ukraine, nor even talk about talks, but there is now talk about talk about talks. That’s a necessary development, but also an uncomfortable one.
EC to investigate Bulgaria for exploiting Russian oil sanctions loopholes that earned the Kremlin €1bn
The European Commission will investigate Bulgaria for exploiting loopholes in the oil sanctions regime against Russia that have earned the Kremlin $1bn.
Putin's presidential election getting underway
Russia goes to the polls next year and Russian President Vladimir Putin seems set to stand for his fifth term in office after already having served 24 years as Russia’s leader. The presidential campaign is already gathering momentum.
Serbia exporting dual-use goods to Russia despite pledge not to help bypass sanctions
RFE/RL investigation finds hike in exports of dual-use goods since Ukraine invasion despite Belgrade’s pledge not to help Russia bypass sanctions.
Bulgarian refinery secretly helped Russia make €1bn profit despite EU sanctions
Investigation reveals Lukoil Neftochim Burgas refinery in Bulgaria imported over 4.95mn tonnes of Russian crude oil in the first ten months of 2023.
New Slovak cabinet axes latest military aid package for Ukraine
The new Slovak populist cabinet of Robert Fico has axed the latest round of the military aid package prepared by their predecessor technocratic cabinet of Ludovit Odor.
Oil prices defy analysts’ expectations and fall rather than rise after the outbreak of the Israeli-Hamas war
The oil price defied analysts’ expectations and fell rather than rose after the outbreak of the Israeli-Hamas war on October 7. A month later, despite a 3.7% drop in the price of a barrel of Brent, its value has returned to pre-war levels.
EU’s von der Leyen maps out plan for Ukraine’s future in Europe
The EC President called on Europeans to support Ukraine “for as long as it takes,” naming three concrete goals the EU must achieve to protect the future interests of Kyiv.
Czech billionaire Komarek reported to have failed to sever business ties with Russia
As part of his winning bid for the UK's National Lottery, Komarek's KKCG said it would shortly end its Czech gas storage joint venture with Gazprom.
Russian troops kill one Georgian and abduct another near South Ossetia occupation line
Incident marks the first death on the de-facto border since the brief war over South Ossetia in 2008.
New Slovak premier says he won’t prevent commercial arms exports to Ukraine
Robert Fico has said his policy towards Russia and Ukraine will be driven by Slovak national interests. He is therefore backing Slovak commercial exports to Ukraine.
RIDDLE: Russian trade with China as a Matryoshka doll
A Matryoshka doll or nesting dolls is the best metaphor to describe the economic-political relationship between Russia and China. Some elements of this Matryoshka doll are determined by market relations, while others are manually controlled.
Businesses increasingly concerned over geopolitical and economic risks to the global economy, says Oxford Economics
Businesses are increasingly concerned over geopolitical and economic risks to the global economy, according to Oxford Economics’ latest Global Risk Survey released on November 6.