Eastern Europe / Features

PANNIER: Why the Turkmenistan, Iran gas “friendship” is back on

Bruce Pannier December 20, 2024

In tough struggle to find new export markets, Turkmen even agree to Iranian contractors building infrastructure in tightly controlled Central Asian country.

Russia’s arms exports slump, Kremlin preparing for possible war with Nato

Ben Aris in Berlin December 20, 2024

Russian arms exports have plummeted by 92% since 2021, according to defence policy expert Pavel Luzin, as the Kremlin redirects all its military production to supplying the conflict in Ukraine.

Russia reaps harvest of chaos in nearby democracies

Clare Nuttall in Glasgow December 19, 2024

Allegations of interference surround recent elections in Bulgaria, Georgia, Moldova and Romania.

Russia's political repressions intensify in 2024

bne IntelliNews December 19, 2024

Political repression continued in Russia in 2024, as “justification of terrorism” overtook “discrediting the Russian army” as the most prosecuted “crime,” according to a detailed report by Russian civil rights groups.

FDI in Emerging Europe hit by geopolitical uncertainty and German slowdown

Clare Nuttall in Glasgow December 18, 2024

wiiw report warns lower investment trend could continue as Central and Eastern Europe's role as a production hub for Western companies is waning.

More help needed for Ukraine’s ravaged energy sector

Newsbase December 16, 2024

A multi-million-euro fund launched by Ukraine’s European allies to help the war-ravaged energy sector is running low on cash as power providers struggle to keep the lights on this winter.

Belarus tests new BUK missile system as a low-key arms race in Eastern Europe gathers momentum

Ben Aris in Berlin December 12, 2024

Belarus conducted a test launch of a new Buk-MB2 air defence missile near its border with Ukraine on December 10, Ukrinform reports, as all parties to the Ukraine war ramp up their missile development and production capacity.

Russia, facing loss of Syrian base for Africa operations, seen turning to war-torn Sudan or divided Libya

Brian Kenety December 9, 2024

If Putin wants to quickly develop Port Sudan as an alternative to Russia's naval base in Syria, he may need to finally pick a side and align with the SAF, who control the area. Meanwhile, Russia is already landing military aircraft in Libya.

EXPLAINER: US sanctions on Gazprombank and what they mean for Russian gas in Europe

Newsbase December 9, 2024

The sanctions have created some uncertainty and difficulties, but are unlikely to cause disruptions to gas flows, especially now that Russia has eased its own restrictions for payments.

What now for Russia in Syria?

bnm Gulf bureau December 9, 2024

The fall of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's government by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) now poses complex challenges for Russia.

Syria’s conflict enters a dangerous new phase as rebels advance

bne Gulf bureau December 7, 2024

Syria’s long-running civil war has entered a markedly more dangerous phase as opposition forces capture strategic cities and vital infrastructure. Military analysts and diplomatic sources say these developments.

Is Russia being dragged back into the Syrian war?

bnm Gulf bureau December 5, 2024

Russia faces mounting pressure to expand its military involvement in Syria as its longtime ally President Bashar al-Assad confronts the most serious challenge to his rule since 2016, with militant groups having launched a major offensive.

Emerging Europe winemakers sparkle as global wine production declines

Clare Nuttall in Glasgow December 4, 2024

Global production is set to fall 2% this year, but countries in Emerging Europe including Georgia, Hungary and Russia are bucking the trend, says the OIV.

Russian companies trapped in a debt spiral, borrowing heavily, despite sky-high interest rates

Ben Aris in Berlin December 3, 2024

Russian businesses are still actively taking out floating rate loans, despite the sky-high cost of borrowing, in the hope that rates will come down, but pushing rates up as a result, The Bell reported on December 3.

Trump threatens BRICS with tariffs if they dump the dollar

bne IntelliNews December 2, 2024

US President-elect Donald Trump has warned the BRICS countries they will be hit with 100% tariffs if they attempt to set up an alternative currency to the dollar to settle trade deals.

Aluminium producer Rusal brings fresh legal claims in London High Court case against Russian oligarch Potanin

bne IntelliNews November 29, 2024

Russia’s leading aluminium producer Rusal has escalated its legal battle against billionaire Vladimir Potanin, CEO of Norilsk Nickel, by filing additional claims in London’s High Court, bne IntelliNews can report.

Wild central banking policies to crash-land the Russian economy are tanking the ruble

Ben Aris in Berlin November 28, 2024

It’s not often you get to describe central banking decisions as “wild”, but some of the choices being made in Moscow at the moment are completely out of the box. The famed macro-economic management team is making some extreme choices.

EBRD warns of risks for emerging markets pursuing industrial policies

Clare Nuttall in Glasgow November 26, 2024

Industrial policy is back "with a vengeance” but can have a distorting effect, EBRD chief economist Beata Javorcik told bne IntelliNews

Analysts outline three scenarios for Ukraine’s winter blackouts

bne IntelliNews November 21, 2024

Ukraine is facing a freezing and dark winter after Russia’s destroyed almost all of its non-nuclear power and heating capacity this year. Apartments will become unliveabily cold, which could drive another 500,000 refugees to flee the country.

Xi lays out the new rules of Global South Consensus to Biden

bne IntelliNews November 19, 2024

What has been portrayed as an economic clash between East and West is taking on an increasingly ideological nature. Chinese President Xi Jinping laid out new rules of the game for Sino-US relations in blunt terms to US President Joe Biden.

Dismiss