Russia
Russia plans new “anti-fraud” restrictions on RuNet use
The Russian government has unveiled a sweeping package of draft legislation billed as a crackdown on online fraud, but rights groups warn it will significantly expand state surveillance powers and online repression, Meduza reported on September 30.
Russia’s debt service costs swelling due to high interest rates
Russia’s debt servicing costs are swelling, despite the low level of debt, thanks to sky high interest rates, the Ministry of Finance (MinFin) said on September 29.
Russia could use UN Security Council presidency to destabilise Bosnia, ISW warns
Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Russia will use its United Nations Security Council presidency to “review the implementation of the Dayton Accords”, indicating Kremlin aims to create instability in the Balkans.
Russia launches a revolutionary industrial-scale closed fuel cycle reactor
President Vladimir Putin claims Russia has made a nuclear technology breakthrough and has developed a closed fuel cycle power system to tackle global uranium shortages.
COMMENT: Russia’s demographic fall enters a more dangerous phase
When Vladimir Putin first came to power, Russia was grappling with a demographic crisis. A quarter of a century later, the country faces another one—this time more severe, more complex, and more resistant to the tools previously used to contain it.
Russia's military production goes into surplus
After more than three years of heavy investment, Russia’s military production has gone into surplus, producing more arms and ammo than it needs to perpetrate the war in Ukraine, the Kiel Institute reported.
"Managed democracy" wins the Moldovan elections
It appears that the ruling Party of Action and Solidarity (PAS) has won the general election in Moldova on September 28, but President Maia Sandu has taken a page out of the Kremlin's “managed democracy" playbook.
Lavrov pushes Russian agenda, networks with the Global South at UNGA
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov used the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) meeting in New York to lambaste the West and continue building up the growing Global South community that is aligning with the BRICS-led alternative pole
Serbia arrests two suspected trainers of Moldovan election disrupters
Pair arrested on suspicion of training Moldovan and Romanian citizens to carry out unrest during Moldova’s September 28 general election.
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Telegram owner Durov says French, Moldovan governments asked him to block anti-government accounts ahead of elections
The owner of the Telegram messaging service Pavel Durov said that the French intelligence approached him earlier this year and asked him to block anti-government channels in the run up to this weekend's elections on two occasions.
China, Russia, Pakistan and Iran push back on Trump ambitions in or near Afghanistan
Trump’s administration has been exploring options for keeping a military footprint in Afghanistan - a move that Russia has already said would have catasrophic consequences.
Emerging market Tiger Cities power global growth prospects
Cities across the developing world are set to be among the fastest-growing urban economies in the next quarter century, according to Oxford Economics’ Global Cities Index 2025.
Lockheed Martin unveils Vectis drone for collaborative combat missions
US-based Lockheed Martin Skunk Works has introduced the Vectis, a Group 5 collaborative combat aircraft designed to operate alongside fifth-generation and next-generation fighter jets.
EU’s influence declines in its neighbourhood as China and Russia gain ground
Chinese presence growing in Western Balkans, while Russia makes gains in Turkey, shows new index developed by wiiw, Bertelsmann Stiftung and ECIPE.
European diplomats warn Kremlin that Nato is prepared to shoot planes over its airspace
European diplomats warned the Kremlin that Nato is prepared to shoot down any Russian fighter jets that violate their airspace, as military tensions between the EU and Russia continue to mount.
RuNet grows 40% in 2024 to $250bn, driven by e-commerce and AI
The RuNet economy expanded by 40% in 2024, reaching RUB24.03 trillion, with e-commerce accounting for more than 91% of the total, according to a study by the Russian Association of Electronic Communications.
Trump lavishes praise on Erdogan in White House meeting and suggests Turkey stop buying Russian oil and gas
Some big military and civilian aircraft deals may be in the making, but the deal-making remains behind closed doors.
Poland building a drone wall to protect Europe
Poland will lead an effort to build a “drone wall” to block Europe’s airspace to swarms of Russian UAVs should a pan-regional war ever break out.
EBRD cuts Ukraine’s 2025 growth forecast to 2.5% amid war uncertainty
Ukraine’s economy is projected to expand by 2.5% in 2025, down from a previously forecast 3.3%, as the ongoing war with Russia weighs on investment and trade, the EBRD said.
COMMENT: Trump is preparing a “back door” plan to blame EU for Ukraine’s failure - FT
European officials fear that US President Donald Trump’s dramatic U-turn on Ukraine is a back door plan to shift responsibility for the West’s failure to prevent Ukraine’s defeat in its war with Russia or help it recover afterwards.