Russia
Russia fumes at North Macedonia’s NATO accession
Russia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a scathing statement on Wednesday (1 April) seeking to belittle and ridicule North Macedonia's recent accession to NATO.
Russian plane takes off for US with coronavirus help onboard
A Russian military transport plane took off from an airfield outside Moscow early on Wednesday (1 April) and headed for the United States with a load of medical equipment and masks to help Washington fight coronavirus, Russian state TV reported.
Moscow tightens coronavirus rules
Moscow authorities will on Monday (30 March) impose tighter restrictions on residents in an attempt to contain the spread of the new coronavirus, Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said.
Ukraine struggles to debunk fake virus news
The water service in Odessa, a port city in southern Ukraine, was suddenly overrun this week with calls from worried residents with a peculiar concern.
G20 leaders to inject $5 trillion into global economy in fight against coronavirus
Leaders of the Group of 20 major economies pledged on Thursday (26 March) to inject over $5 trillion into the global economy to limit job and income losses from the coronavirus and "do whatever it takes to overcome the pandemic."
Russia joins UN’s appeal for global ceasefire, lists conflicts by name
Russia’s foreign ministry published a statement on Wednesday (25 March) urging all parties to regional armed conflicts to immediately stop hostilities, secure a ceasefire, and introduce a humanitarian pause, in the context of the coronavirus pandemic.
‘From Russia with Love’: Putin sends aid to Italy to fight virus
The Russian army on Sunday (22 March) began flying medical help to Italy to help it battle the new coronavirus after receiving an order from President Vladimir Putin, a goodwill gesture that Moscow labelled "From Russia with Love".
Borissov orders his ministers to obtain Russian coronavirus medicines
Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borissov said on Sunday (22 March) he was impressed by the statements of a Russian official who claimed that his country knows how to control the coronavirus, and that he had ordered his ministers to obtain the Russian medicines.
Russia deploying coronavirus disinformation to sow panic in West, EU document says
Russian media have deployed a "significant disinformation campaign" against the West to worsen the impact of the coronavirus, generate panic and sow distrust, according to a European Union document seen by Reuters.
Saudi Arabia floods globe to squeeze Russia’s share of oil market
Saudi Arabia has stepped up efforts to squeeze Russia’s Urals oil grade out of its main markets by offering its own cheap barrels instead after their long-standing deal to support global oil prices fell apart, seven oil sources said.
US shale under pressure to make ‘at least’ 25% price cuts
US shale producers are seeking sharp service costs cuts to deal with plummeting prices and shrinking demand, according to executives and a letter sent to top providers, driving home the oil industry’s desperate efforts to cope with a market dive.
Russia to OPEC – deeper oil cuts won’t work
This week’s oil price rout had become inevitable and cutting output has ceased to make sense because it is unclear how deep the impact of the coronavirus on demand will be, Russia’s deputy energy minister said in an interview with Reuters on Wednesday (11 March).
Putin approves changes allowing him to stay in power until 2036
Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday (10 March) opened the door to constitutional changes that would allow him to remain in power until 2036, but said he favored term limits once the country became politically “mature”.
Russian ministry, oil firms to meet after OPEC talks collapse and prices plunge
Russia’s Energy Ministry will meet with the country’s oil companies on Wednesday (11 March) to discuss future cooperation with the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries, among other issues, two sources familiar with the plan told Reuters.
Nord Stream 2 in the hands of Akademik Cherskiy
The Russians have sent their only pipe-laying vessel equipped with dynamic positioning system – Akademik Cherskiy – to Europe. But can the tiny ship without previous experience in pipe-laying do the job, Mateusz Kubiak ponders.
Trial of men accused in downing of MH17 to begin in Amsterdam
The first hearing in the trial of four fugitive suspects in the downing of Malaysian Airlines Flight 17 was set to start in Amsterdam on Monday (9 March), more than five years after the plane was downed in Ukraine.
Why did Boyko Borissov’s mission in Ankara fail?
If von der Leyen’s Commission really wants to be global, it should intervene at the root of the problem instead of trying to deal with the consequences, writes Ivailo Kalfin.
Turkey says will not stop Syrian refugees reaching Europe after troops killed
Turkey will no longer stop Syrian refugees from reaching Europe, a senior Turkish official said, as Ankara responded on Friday (28 February) to the killing of 33 Turkish soldiers in an air strike by Syrian government forces in Syria's northwestern Idlib region.
Crimean experts warn Russia has appetite for Black Sea, more Ukrainian land
Increasingly grandiose Russian military exercises in the Black Sea, compounded by the impending water crisis and a burgeoning defence industry in the Crimea, indicate that the security situation in Southern Ukraine may soon deteriorate, Ukrainian experts from Crimea warn.
Erdogan announces Syria summit with France, Germany and Russia
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Saturday (22 February) said he would hold a summit with the leaders of Russia, France and Germany on 5 March to discuss the escalating violence in Syria's last rebel enclave of Idlib.
At EU summit, Merkel and Macron call Putin over Syria crisis
The leaders of Germany and France called Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday (20 February) to express their concern about the humanitarian situation in Syria’s Idlib region, expressing their readiness to meet in an effort to defuse the conflict.
US intelligence told lawmakers Russia tries to help Trump’s re-election
US intelligence officials told lawmakers last week that Russia is interfering in the 2020 election campaign by aiming to cast doubt on the integrity of the vote and boost President Donald Trump’s re-election, a person familiar with the briefing said on Thursday (20 February).
Georgia reports massive cyber-attack ‘carried out by Russia’
Georgia’s foreign ministry announced on Thursday (20 February) that a massive cyber-attack had taken place against its state institutions and media, and that investigations have shown that Russia was responsible for it. “On 28 October 2019, a large scale cyber-attack...