Eastern Europe / News
High-level Ukrainian delegation makes first visit to Serbia since war began
Ukraine's Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba and First Lady Olena Zelenska visit Serbia to mend relations strained by Belgrade's refusal to cut ties with Russia.
Transit fee rivals Russia, Kazakhstan “happy” China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway not progressing
Beijing appears deterred by cost and geopolitical considerations, but if realised “CKU” would open up shortest China-Europe rail route.
Cabinet reshuffle sees Shoigu out of Russian Defence Ministry, Belousov in
Russian President Vladimir Putin fired his long-standing friend Sergei Shoigu as head of the Defence Minister and replaced him with economist Andrei Belousov as part of a government reshuffle following his inauguration last week.
Putin accuses ‘arrogant’ West of risking global war at 2024 Victory Day celebrations
The West is risking inciting a global conflict, Russian President Vladimir Putin claimed during his speech on Red Square at Moscow’s Victory Day celebrations.
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Turkey signs LNG deal with US supermajor ExxonMobil placing question mark over Russian gas supplies
Ankara has ambition to make country an energy supply powerhouse based on re-exports.
Russia hits Ukrainian power facilities in six regions with intense missile attack, imports from EU won't cover winter demand
Russian forces launched an intense missile attack on Ukraine's energy infrastructure in six regions on May 8. Half of Ukraine’s power facilities are now out of action to the point where European imports won't cover this winter's demand.
RBI caves into pressure to give up Strabag deal
US authorities had raised the threat of sanctions, leading the Austrian central bank to warn RBI against the deal.
Ukrainian oligarch Kolomoisky faces life imprisonment for murder
Igor Kolomoisky, once considered Ukraine’s most influential oligarch and a supporter of President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, has been charged with an organised murder from over 20 years ago, which carries a penalty of life imprisonment.
New Ukraine funding deal gives EU members opt out on military spending using CBR frozen funds
Neutral EU member states will be able to opt out of a plan to use profits from Russia’s central bank frozen assets to purchase weapons for Ukraine.
Polish judge shows up in Minsk asking for political asylum
Judge Tomasz Szmydt says he is protesting against the actions of the Polish authorities that could potentially lead to military conflict with Belarus and Russia.
Raiffeisen says pressure to cut Russian loanbook will complicate exit
Austrian lender suspends full-year target numbers after the ECB warning.
Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry calls on world to reject the legitimacy of Putin’s presidency
Ukraine’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it does not recognise Vladimir Putin as the democratically elected and legitimate president of Russia the day before he was due to be inaugurated for the fifth time.
Nothing concrete has yet emerged from nuclear plant talks with Russia, says Uzbekistan
Tashkent has received proposals from other countries, though as things stand there are no talks on alternatives to Russian bid, UzAtom director says.
Russia doesn’t like taking a back seat to China in Central Asia trade
But domestic economic woes may be slowing Beijing’s exports.
Ukraine's drone attacks on Russian oil refineries cause domestic petrol prices to surge
Ukrainian drone strikes on Russian oil refineries are causing a shortage of petrol on the domestic markets and have sent prices at the pump surging in the last few weeks.
Russia is producing weapons at a record pace, and Ukraine’s partners are trying to increase support for Kyiv
Russia is producing weapons at a record pace, and Ukraine’s partners are trying to increase support. Over the past year, Russia has learned to develop new weapons and ammunition faster than at any time in its modern history.
Lithuanian leaders back sending 29,000 military-age men back to Ukraine
Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda and Prime Minister Ingrida Simonyte believe that Lithuania should help Ukraine get back its military-age men living abroad.
Top Russian mobile operator MTS announces $86.5mn share buyback
Russia’s biggest mobile phone operator MTS is offering its international investors whose shares have been trapped in Russia by sanctions an opportunity to sell their shares at a discount and get a return on their investment.
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Czech police point to Russia's GRU as investigation into ammunition explosion is shelved
Czech interior minister says that Russia is “transgressing valid international agreements” after it refused to cooperate with Czech authorities on the case.
European banks still in Russia see profits quadruple, pay over €800mn in taxes
Western banks that have continued operations in Russia paid more than €800mn in taxes last year, marking a fourfold increase from pre-war levels, despite pledges to reduce their exposure following the full-scale invasion of Ukraine.