Eastern Europe / News
Kazakhstan's Tokayev hails close ties with Putin’s Russia days after lavishing praise on Trump
As Kazakh president completes state visit in Moscow, Kremlin spokesman shrugs off remarks he made in US, saying “a great many people who end up visiting the White House start talking like that.”
Bulgarian president vetoes law on seizure of Lukoil assets
The veto comes just ten days before new US sanctions on Lukoil take effect, which could block the operation of its Bulgarian assets.
Russia signals readiness to give up control of Serbia’s NIS amid US sanctions
Russia is prepared to relinquish control of Serbia’s oil company, NIS, to a third party to resolve US sanctions that threaten the firm’s operations and Serbia’s energy security.
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Venezuela raises military alert as US aircraft carrier nears
Venezuela has elevated its military preparedness and activated what Defence Minister Vladimir Padrino López called a “higher phase” of Plan Independence 200, a nationwide defence operation ordered by President Nicolás Maduro.
London court orders former Ukrainian tycoons Kolomoisky and Bogolyubov to pay over $3bn in PrivatBank fraud case
Judgment is a major victory for Ukraine’s largest lender, which has spent years pursuing legal claims across multiple jurisdictions to recover losses linked to its former owners.
Ukraine suspends justice minister amid $100mn energy corruption probe
German Galushchenko has been suspended as part of a sweeping anti-corruption investigation into alleged large-scale money laundering in the country’s energy sector.
Belarus' Lukashenko threatens to seize Lithuania’s stranded lorries
Worst case scenario puts losses to Lithuania’s transport sector at around €1bn after hundreds of lorries trapped in Belarus by border closure.
Ukraine’s anti-graft bureau targets ex-Zelenskiy business partner in sweeping energy corruption probe
Ukraine’s National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) has carried out a series of high-profile searches in Kyiv, including premises linked to Timur Mindich, a former business partner of President Volodymyr Zelenskiy.
Zelenskiy calls for 27 Patriot systems as Russia steps up missile and drone strikes on Ukraine’s energy grid
Ukrainian president urged Western allies to accelerate the delivery of air defence systems to shield the country from intensifying Russian strikes.
Norway reportedly considers sovereign fund collateral for EU’s €140bn Ukraine loan
Proposal offers a way to overcome Belgian objections to using frozen Russian sovereign assets to back the EU loan facility for Kyiv.
Mortgage agency DOM.RF to hold Russia's first state IPO in two decades
DOM.RF’s close ties to the state may expose it to geopolitical risk, including future sanctions.
Russian Lukoil declares force majeure on Iraqi oil
Lukoil, Russia’s second-largest oil company, has declared force majeure on its operations at the West Qurna-2 oil field in Iraq due to the impact of US sanctions
Russia unleashes massive overnight assault on Ukraine’s energy grid, crippling thermal plants and gas sites
Russia launched one of its heaviest air assaults in months overnight, striking Ukraine’s energy infrastructure with missiles and drones and causing widespread blackouts across major cities, including Kyiv and Kharkiv.
Ukraine faces deepening humanitarian crisis as 37% live in poverty, 65% of children affected
Sustained fighting and large-scale displacement have pushed millions into hardship.
Russian oil output sees growth in October, but federal revenues crash
Russia’s crude oil output increased modestly in October even as state revenues from the oil and gas sector continued to decline sharply.
US slams “Kremlin puppet’s” Gunvor Lukoil asset deal
The US doubled down on its latest sanctions by appearing to cancel Gunvor’s deal with Russian oil major Lukoil, labelling the trader a “Kremlin puppet.”
Russian forces surround Ukrainian army in Pokrovsk
Ukrainian forces are struggling to hold their positions in the eastern city of Pokrovsk and nearby Myrnohrad, where Russian troops are intensifying their offensive.
Bottleneck of truck traffic on Kazakh-Russian frontier slowly clearing
Local media outlets indicate that graft may be involved.
Poland plans to become US gas hub to supply Slovakia and Ukraine
Poland will seek to become a regional distribution centre for American gas to supply neighbouring Slovakia and Ukraine, President Andrzej Nawrocki said while on a visit to Bratislava.
Bulgaria moves to seize Lukoil refinery to shield it from US sanctions
Bulgaria is preparing to take control of Russian oil company Lukoil’s Burgas refinery, the country’s only oil-processing facility, to protect it from US sanctions.