Latest Updates

BALKAN BLOG: Southeast Europe’s ties to Russia prove hard to sever

Bulgaria shifts back towards Russian orbit after reformist government toppled. Montenegro could be next.

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What's the current outlook for Belarus' export sector?

After February 24, sanctions began mounting on Belarus due to its support for Russia's invasion of Ukraine. So, what can we expect from Belarus’ foreign trade for the rest of 2022?

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Russian gas exports to Europe tumble in June

Russian exports of gas to Europe have tumbled by two thirds, but oil exports by sea have recovered to pre-war levels, according to the European Central Bank’s latest economic bulletin.

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Can we trust Russia’s economic statistics?

Russia’ state statistic agency RosStat and the Central Bank of Russia (CBR) have released a string of good economic results recently. Of course Russia’s economy has been badly hurt by sanctions, but by just how much? No one is sure.

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LONG READ: Is Russia’s economy headed for 'economic oblivion', as a report from Yale says?

Russia’s economy seems to be doing a lot better than was expected. The International Monetary Fund recently improved its growth outlook for this year.

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Western capitals wonder what kind of sanctions deal Erdogan may have cooked up with Putin

Mindful of Turkey’s own economic and strategic interests—and his poor re-election prospects—the Turkish leader met his Russian counterpart in Sochi.

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Boris Johnson’s half-brother to sue Mongolia for $50mn in a mining investment dispute

The half-brother of ousted UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson says he will bring a $50mn lawsuit against Mongolia to try to recover an investment into a mining project that went horribly wrong.

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Business Insider: Western tech majors have tested or used controversial Russian face recognition technology

According to a report published last week by US publication Business Insider, a range of Western tech firms are users of FindFace, a controversial face recognition technology developed by Russian startup NtechLab.

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Moscow ready for new Ukraine peace talks

Moscow is ready to begin peace talks on bringing the war in Ukraine to a halt, according to ex-Chancellor Gerhart Schroeder, who has just spent the last few days in Moscow and met with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

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Serbia to crack down on environmental crime

Envoy says start made on construction of Turkish attack drone factory in Ukraine

Hungarian inflation surges to 13.7% y/y in July

Serbia to crack down on environmental crime

Interior minister warns those who destroy Serbia’s natural heritage will be prosecuted after new environmental crime unit files hundreds of criminal reports.

Envoy says start made on construction of Turkish attack drone factory in Ukraine

Kremlin responds that plant would obviously be target for its missiles.

Hungarian inflation surges to 13.7% y/y in July

Worst figure for 25 years weakens forint and piles more more pressure on the central bank to keep putting up rates.

News

Ukraine will receive $5.5bn in support from the US later this month

The United States is to send Ukraine financial assistance totalling $5.5bn. This includes $4.5bn for urgent budgetary needs and $1bn in military support.

John Malkovich to turn Skopje into Hollywood of the Balkans

Actor who calls himself a “son of the Balkans” plans to set up film and music studios in North Macedonia’s capital to shoot Hollywood-calibre movies.

Huge explosion rocks Russian airbase on the Crimean peninsula

A huge explosion rocked a Russian airbase in the Crimea in what may have been the first Ukrainian missile strike deep in the occupied peninsula on August 9.

Russia cuts oil flow via Ukraine's Druzhba pipeline, blaming sanctions for blocking transit payments

Cut-off will hit the Czech Republic, Hungary and Slovakia hardest, as they rely heavily on imports via the Druzhba pipeline.

Croatian president says Western sanctions aren’t working

Often criticised for his soft stance on Moscow, President Zoran Milanovic claims sanctions are hurting Croatia but not Russia.

Ukraine will receive $5.5bn in support from the US later this month

5 hours ago

John Malkovich to turn Skopje into Hollywood of the Balkans

5 hours ago

Huge explosion rocks Russian airbase on the Crimean peninsula

18 hours ago

Russia cuts oil flow via Ukraine's Druzhba pipeline, blaming sanctions for blocking transit payments

18 hours ago

Croatian president says Western sanctions aren’t working

1 day ago

More News

Tech

From 4G to 6G: How Russia seeks to develop mobile networks amid shortages of domestic frequency and foreign equipment

The Russian government intends to spend more than RUB30bn ($375mn at the pre-war exchange rate, $500mn at the current rate) on an R&D programme to deploy 6G until 2025.

Should I stay or go for founder of Russian internet major Yandex

The founder of Russian internet major Yandex, Arkady Volozh, could agree to a new shareholder and management structure for the company in exchange for the Kremlin’s permission to develop some of Yandex assets independently abroad

EVs in Uzbekistan bring problems and prospects

Number of imports up dramatically, but most market players doing little by way of providing electric vehicle servicing and infrastructure. That needs to change.

Poland-based Deepflare bags €1.5mn to fast-track mRNA vaccine development with AI

Deepflare's technology was used to analyse around 50% of all SARS-CoV-2 genomes sequenced in Poland. Now it aims to support the development of mRNA vaccines and drugs against other viral diseases.

Russia suspected of being behind massive cyberattack in Albania

Attack shut down online government services in Albania two months after Tirana took almost all services online and closed physical offices.

From 4G to 6G: How Russia seeks to develop mobile networks amid shortages of domestic frequency and foreign equipment

5 days ago

Should I stay or go for founder of Russian internet major Yandex

9 days ago

EVs in Uzbekistan bring problems and prospects

12 days ago

Poland-based Deepflare bags €1.5mn to fast-track mRNA vaccine development with AI

14 days ago

Russia suspected of being behind massive cyberattack in Albania

22 days ago

More Tech

Opinion

COMMENT: Emerging European tightening cycle coming to an end

The tightening cycle by central banks in Emerging Europe is coming to an end as regulators across the region start to get inflationary pressures under control, Capital Economics said in a note on August 8.

COMMENT: Does Russia have any friends left in Southeast Asia?

The geopolitical earthquake that is the Russian invasion of Ukraine has clearly strengthened alliances between Russia and China, but the war has wrecked trade relations in SE Asia and most countries are trying not to take sides.

COMMENT: Will an Italian right-wing victory in upcoming elections be another win for Putin in Europe?

On July 21, the Italian government headed by Mario Draghi collapsed, and elections were promptly called for September 25. The new right-wing government that is expected to win is worryingly pro-Russia.

COMMENT: War as a sign of weakness: failure of reforms and of branding of a Russian nation.

Putin’s war has so far achieved the opposite to all the declared goals: Nato has come even closer to its borders; Ukraine has become more militarised; long-time neutral Sweden and Finland have applied for Nato membership; and the West is united.

HESS: Putin doesn’t fit with China’s plans for an alternative global financial order

For Russian President Vladimir Putin, his invasion of Ukraine is not only an attempt to subdue, and possibly destroy, the Ukrainian nation; It is also the key front in his long-standing desire to upend the global order.

COMMENT: Emerging European tightening cycle coming to an end

1 day ago

COMMENT: Does Russia have any friends left in Southeast Asia?

6 days ago

COMMENT: Will an Italian right-wing victory in upcoming elections be another win for Putin in Europe?

6 days ago

COMMENT: War as a sign of weakness: failure of reforms and of branding of a Russian nation.

13 days ago

HESS: Putin doesn’t fit with China’s plans for an alternative global financial order

13 days ago

More Opinion

Data

Poll shows every other Russian supports continuing the war against Ukraine

52% of Russians support continuing the war against Ukraine, whereas 38% of respondents to a new poll by the Russian Field sociological agency were in favour of moving to peace talks with Ukraine.

Romania revises inflation outlook upwards on supply-side issues

Inflation expected to reach 13.9% in December as war in Ukraine keeps fuelling supply-side issues in some key commodity markets.

Dollarisation in Turkey smashing records

Despite the authorities’ demand for ‘lira-isation’ few Turks have any real faith in the national currency as inflation runs riot.

Unemployment slightly rose in Czechia in July

At the end of July, 240,706 Czechs were seeking employment. This figure is 9,397 more people than the previous month, translating into a rise of 0.2%.

Moldova’s maize, sunflower crops decimated by drought

Both crops are in high demand given the disruption caused by the war in neighbouring Ukraine to international food markets.

Poll shows every other Russian supports continuing the war against Ukraine

2 hours ago

Romania revises inflation outlook upwards on supply-side issues

5 hours ago

Dollarisation in Turkey smashing records

1 day ago

Unemployment slightly rose in Czechia in July

1 day ago

Moldova’s maize, sunflower crops decimated by drought

1 day ago

More Data

Features

Is Lukashenko preparing to help Russia reopen Ukraine’s northern front?

Recent Russian and Belarusian military activity on Belarusian territory could be laying the groundwork for Russia to reopen the northern front in its invasion of Ukraine.

Academic sheds light on Rahmon regime’s attempts to crush the Pamiris

Sniper used to kill Colonel Boqir, local leader long at top of hitlist. After brutal crackdown, GBAO region’s inhabitants fear they will be living under a securitised surveillance state.

Kyrgyzstan’s mining sector wilts as authorities seek total control

After seizing the country’s most profitable mine, Kyrgyzstan is using new regulations to drive out more private mining companies and place the bulk of the industry into the hands of a single state firm.

Belarus risks losing long-term potash deals unless it manages to find new ports

As Belarus has been blocked from using EU or Ukrainian ports to transport its potash, it has also been effectively shut out from the world market. If this problem isn't solved soon, Belarus could lose out on long-term deals.

Sanctions bring Russian car market screeching to a halt

Western car brands are leaving Russia en masse as sanctions cause a critical shortage of components. The Russian government promises that homegrown alternatives will fill the gap, but in the meantime, spiralling prices are causing demand to collapse.

Is Lukashenko preparing to help Russia reopen Ukraine’s northern front?

2 days ago

Academic sheds light on Rahmon regime’s attempts to crush the Pamiris

3 days ago

Kyrgyzstan’s mining sector wilts as authorities seek total control

6 days ago

Belarus risks losing long-term potash deals unless it manages to find new ports

7 days ago

Sanctions bring Russian car market screeching to a halt

9 days ago

More Features

Blogs

KYIV BLOG: A financial crisis has begun in Ukraine

A financial crisis has begun in Ukraine. The hryvnia is in free fall. The national bank has ordered exchange kiosks not to display the exchange rate. The government is running a deficit it can’t cover and companies are defaulting on their bonds.

MOSCOW BLOG: West moving towards a “back to normal strategy”

Important day today. There are 17 ships in three Ukrainian ports cleared for grain shipments, of which 10 are ready to go, and it was just reported that the first one has set sail on its way to Turkey and then the rest of the world.

MOSCOW BLOG: Putin inflicts more pain as Ukraine teeters on edge of default

Didn’t I say this would happen? That Russian President Vladimir Putin would play silly buggers with the gas flow and that newswires would be buzzing with alerts for months to come.

CENTRAL ASIA BLOG: Why Tajikistan and Turkmenistan said no to a Central Asian ‘Visegrad Group’

Some analysts contend Moscow was not in favour of Kazakhstan’s proposal, but the opposite might actually have been the case.

MOSCOW BLOG: West blowing holes in its own sanctions regime

The EU “agreed” on a seventh package of sanctions yesterday, except they were gutted by Hungary that said it would veto any package that included sanctions on energy.

KYIV BLOG: A financial crisis has begun in Ukraine

8 days ago

MOSCOW BLOG: West moving towards a “back to normal strategy”

9 days ago

MOSCOW BLOG: Putin inflicts more pain as Ukraine teeters on edge of default

14 days ago

CENTRAL ASIA BLOG: Why Tajikistan and Turkmenistan said no to a Central Asian ‘Visegrad Group’

15 days ago

MOSCOW BLOG: West blowing holes in its own sanctions regime

20 days ago

More Blogs

bneGREEN

Shipping and agriculture suffer as drought causes dramatic fall in Danube

Water levels are critically low in Romania, which is both a major EU grain producer and a channel to export Ukrainian grain to international markets.

bneGREEN: Zero-carbon housing a key battleground for climate change

Zero-carbon housing is a key battleground in combating climate change and global warming, as the residential building sector across Europe has the potential to cut fossil fuel dependency and reduce emissions.

bneGREEN: Europe must double wind and solar deployment

EU countries need to double the rate of annual wind and solar capacity additions to reach the volumes required to meet the 1.5C aligned 2030 green capacities, think-tank Ember said in a recent report.

bneGREEN: Green output rises faster than power demand in 2022

Renewable power generation has grown faster than sluggish demand so far in 2022, driven by strong capacity additions, IEA data showed, dragging down global power sector CO2 emissions slightly despite rising coal use in Europe.

bneGREEN: Emissions surge to outstrip pre-pandemic levels

Global emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases rose 6.4% to 51bn tonnes in 2021, eclipsing the pre-pandemic peak of 50.3bn tonnes in 2019 as global economic activity resumed, International Monetary Fund data showed.

Shipping and agriculture suffer as drought causes dramatic fall in Danube

2 days ago

bneGREEN: Zero-carbon housing a key battleground for climate change

8 days ago

bneGREEN: Europe must double wind and solar deployment

12 days ago

bneGREEN: Green output rises faster than power demand in 2022

18 days ago

bneGREEN: Emissions surge to outstrip pre-pandemic levels

20 days ago

More bneGREEN

Latest Updates

News

The United States is to send Ukraine financial assistance totalling $5.5bn. This includes $4.5bn for urgent budgetary needs and $1bn in military support.

Actor who calls himself a “son of the Balkans” plans to set up film and music studios in North Macedonia’s capital to shoot Hollywood-calibre movies.

A huge explosion rocked a Russian airbase in the Crimea in what may have been the first Ukrainian missile strike deep in the occupied peninsula on August 9.

Cut-off will hit the Czech Republic, Hungary and Slovakia hardest, as they rely heavily on imports via the Druzhba pipeline.

Often criticised for his soft stance on Moscow, President Zoran Milanovic claims sanctions are hurting Croatia but not Russia.

Tech

The Russian government intends to spend more than RUB30bn ($375mn at the pre-war exchange rate, $500mn at the current rate) on an R&D programme to deploy 6G until 2025.

The founder of Russian internet major Yandex, Arkady Volozh, could agree to a new shareholder and management structure for the company in exchange for the Kremlin’s permission to develop some of Yandex assets independently abroad

Number of imports up dramatically, but most market players doing little by way of providing electric vehicle servicing and infrastructure. That needs to change.

Deepflare's technology was used to analyse around 50% of all SARS-CoV-2 genomes sequenced in Poland. Now it aims to support the development of mRNA vaccines and drugs against other viral diseases.

Attack shut down online government services in Albania two months after Tirana took almost all services online and closed physical offices.

Opinion

The tightening cycle by central banks in Emerging Europe is coming to an end as regulators across the region start to get inflationary pressures under control, Capital Economics said in a note on August 8.

The geopolitical earthquake that is the Russian invasion of Ukraine has clearly strengthened alliances between Russia and China, but the war has wrecked trade relations in SE Asia and most countries are trying not to take sides.

On July 21, the Italian government headed by Mario Draghi collapsed, and elections were promptly called for September 25. The new right-wing government that is expected to win is worryingly pro-Russia.

Putin’s war has so far achieved the opposite to all the declared goals: Nato has come even closer to its borders; Ukraine has become more militarised; long-time neutral Sweden and Finland have applied for Nato membership; and the West is united.

For Russian President Vladimir Putin, his invasion of Ukraine is not only an attempt to subdue, and possibly destroy, the Ukrainian nation; It is also the key front in his long-standing desire to upend the global order.

Data

52% of Russians support continuing the war against Ukraine, whereas 38% of respondents to a new poll by the Russian Field sociological agency were in favour of moving to peace talks with Ukraine.

Inflation expected to reach 13.9% in December as war in Ukraine keeps fuelling supply-side issues in some key commodity markets.

Despite the authorities’ demand for ‘lira-isation’ few Turks have any real faith in the national currency as inflation runs riot.

At the end of July, 240,706 Czechs were seeking employment. This figure is 9,397 more people than the previous month, translating into a rise of 0.2%.

Both crops are in high demand given the disruption caused by the war in neighbouring Ukraine to international food markets.

Features

Recent Russian and Belarusian military activity on Belarusian territory could be laying the groundwork for Russia to reopen the northern front in its invasion of Ukraine.

Sniper used to kill Colonel Boqir, local leader long at top of hitlist. After brutal crackdown, GBAO region’s inhabitants fear they will be living under a securitised surveillance state.

After seizing the country’s most profitable mine, Kyrgyzstan is using new regulations to drive out more private mining companies and place the bulk of the industry into the hands of a single state firm.

As Belarus has been blocked from using EU or Ukrainian ports to transport its potash, it has also been effectively shut out from the world market. If this problem isn't solved soon, Belarus could lose out on long-term deals.

Western car brands are leaving Russia en masse as sanctions cause a critical shortage of components. The Russian government promises that homegrown alternatives will fill the gap, but in the meantime, spiralling prices are causing demand to collapse.

Blogs

A financial crisis has begun in Ukraine. The hryvnia is in free fall. The national bank has ordered exchange kiosks not to display the exchange rate. The government is running a deficit it can’t cover and companies are defaulting on their bonds.

Important day today. There are 17 ships in three Ukrainian ports cleared for grain shipments, of which 10 are ready to go, and it was just reported that the first one has set sail on its way to Turkey and then the rest of the world.

Didn’t I say this would happen? That Russian President Vladimir Putin would play silly buggers with the gas flow and that newswires would be buzzing with alerts for months to come.

Some analysts contend Moscow was not in favour of Kazakhstan’s proposal, but the opposite might actually have been the case.

The EU “agreed” on a seventh package of sanctions yesterday, except they were gutted by Hungary that said it would veto any package that included sanctions on energy.

bneGREEN

Water levels are critically low in Romania, which is both a major EU grain producer and a channel to export Ukrainian grain to international markets.

Zero-carbon housing is a key battleground in combating climate change and global warming, as the residential building sector across Europe has the potential to cut fossil fuel dependency and reduce emissions.

EU countries need to double the rate of annual wind and solar capacity additions to reach the volumes required to meet the 1.5C aligned 2030 green capacities, think-tank Ember said in a recent report.

Renewable power generation has grown faster than sluggish demand so far in 2022, driven by strong capacity additions, IEA data showed, dragging down global power sector CO2 emissions slightly despite rising coal use in Europe.

Global emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases rose 6.4% to 51bn tonnes in 2021, eclipsing the pre-pandemic peak of 50.3bn tonnes in 2019 as global economic activity resumed, International Monetary Fund data showed.

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