Russia
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.
MOSCOW BLOG: foreign agents and bank sector clean ups – the FSU still looks to Russia for ideas
Georgian oligarch and éminence grise Bidzina Ivanishvili gave a very bonkers speech on April 29 at the pro-government rally in Tbilisi that has been rocked by protests against the proposed "foreign agents law." That is a Russian innovation.
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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.
Putin did not order death of Navalny, US intelligence agencies conclude
US intelligence agencies do not believe that the death of Alexey Navalny was ordered by President Vladimir Putin, the Wall Street Journal has reported.
Tajikistan protests to Russia over treatment of citizens with 1,000 stranded at Moscow airport
Central Asians have faced xenophobic backlash since March terror attack allegedly committed by Tajik gunmen.
COMMENT: Aliyev continues to block the chance of peace in the South Caucasus
Although Armenia and Azerbaijan are now the closest they have been to signing a peace treaty in the last 30 years, there is a high probability that it will not be signed.
Startup Defence Builder to build drones and technology requested by the army
Ukraine has witnessed a surge in defence tech innovation initiatives. Defence Builder is a startup accelerator aimed at fostering collaboration between Ukraine’s military, business and startup community to develop technologies requested by the army.
Russia’s Economic Ministry issues bleak economic stress test scenario
Russia's Finance Ministry ran an extreme stress test on the economy for this year that assumes zero growth, a weakening ruble and falling oil and gas revenues in the worst-case scenario.
Ukraine waits impatiently for new US ammunition as intense Russian attacks continue
Ukraine needs at least seven Patriot air defence systems, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said, urging allies “not to waste time,” in his daily broadcast on April 27, as Ukraine continues to get pummelled by Russian missiles.
Fears grow of Russian interference in Central European media space
At the same time, in Poland and Hungary, social networking sites and messaging apps are considered more free and more trustworthy than mainstream media, according to new poll.
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.