DIRS.INFO The most relevant business & tech news

☆ Ukraine is defying the US over strikes on Russian oil refineries. Experts say it's a necessary risk.
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-29 | by ( Mia Jankowicz | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

While the US dithered over aid, Ukraine had a robust argument for prosecuting the war pretty much as it pleased. "Taking out a particular refinery is not going to immediately undermine Russia's war effort," said Dailey, the RAND strategist. "But consistently putting pressure on Russia's oil sector would have a significant impact on Russia's ability to fight this war." AdvertisementVakulenko, in his article, also noted that that strikes on Russian oil refineries have "little impact on Russian export earnings." Later, Ukraine said that its attacks had reduced Russian oil production and processing by 12%.

Persons: —, Ann Marie Dailey, Rafael Loss, Joe Biden's, Marina Miron, Dailey, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Olga Tokariuk, Tokariuk, Donald Trump, Miron, Whittling, Celeste Wallander, Lloyd Austin, Sergey Vakulenko, There's, Sir Tony Radakin, Biden, James Patton Rogers, Patton Rogers Organizations: Service, White, Telegraph, Business, RAND Corporation, European Council, Foreign Relations, Washington Post, Department of, King's College, London's, House, Carnegie, RAND, Financial, Cornell Brooks Tech Policy Institute, Ukraine Locations: Ukraine, Krasnodar, King's College London, Russia

☆ Xi Meets With Russia’s Foreign Minister, Reaffirming Ties
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-09 | by ( David Pierson | Ivan Nechepurenko | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

China’s top leader, Xi Jinping, and Russia’s foreign minister, Sergey V. Lavrov, met in Beijing on Tuesday, in a session seen as laying the groundwork for an expected visit to China by President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia and pushing back against mounting pressure from the United States and its allies. Mr. Lavrov’s visit came just days after Treasury Secretary Janet L. Yellen warned of “significant consequences” if Chinese companies provided material support for Russia’s war in Ukraine. It also took place as President Biden was set to host the leaders of Japan and the Philippines on Wednesday to boost economic and security ties to counter China’s growing assertiveness in Asia. Earlier in the day, Mr. Lavrov met with his Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi, and said the two sides had talked about deepening security ties to resist the West's “anti-Chinese” and “anti-Russian orientation.” In a sign of the Kremlin’s continued deference to China, Mr. Lavrov reaffirmed Russia’s rejection of any “outside interference” over Beijing’s claims to the de facto independent island of Taiwan. “There is no place for dictatorships, hegemony, neocolonial and colonial practices, which are now being widely used by the United States and the rest of the ‘collective West,’” Mr. Lavrov said.

Persons: Xi Jinping, Sergey V, Lavrov, Vladimir V, Putin, Lavrov’s, Janet L, Yellen, Biden, Wang Yi, ’, Mr Locations: Beijing, China, Russia, United States, Ukraine, Japan, Philippines, Asia, Taiwan

☆ Russian oligarch went to Moscow in effort to broker complex prisoner exchange that included Navalny, sources say
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-08 | by ( Sebastian Shukla | Alex Marquardt | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

CNN —A multi-country prisoner exchange that might have freed Russian opposition leader Alexey Navalny was being discussed and progressing when he died last month, multiple sources have told CNN, and included the direct involvement of a Russian oligarch, Roman Abramovich. However, a source close to Navalny’s team told CNN that on the evening of February 15 they had received word that a message had been delivered to Putin. Clinton “initially passed on the message” to US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan, Grozev told CNN. “We had to find a way to package the German asset [Krasikov] into an American negotiation,” the source close to the Navalny team said. Getting the message to Putin was one of the greatest challenges, the individual close to the Navalny team told CNN.

Persons: Alexey Navalny, Roman Abramovich, Navalny, Abramovich, Hillary Clinton, Vladimir Putin, Putin, Maria Pevchikh, “, ”, Dmitry Peskov, it’s, Christo Grozev, Clinton, Grozev, Biden, Viktor Bout, Brittney Griner, Clinton “, Jake Sullivan, Sullivan, Pevchikh, Vadim Krasikov, Krasikov, Tucker Carlson, Evan Gershkovich, Paul Whelan, Whelan, Gershkovich, Whelan –, Sergey Vladimirovich Cherkasov, ” Abramovich Organizations: CNN, United Arab, Kremlin, IK, Aspen Ideas, FSB, US National, National Security, Wall Street, Krasikov, Navalny, US Department of Justice Locations: Russian, Moscow, United Arab Emirates, Ukraine, Siberia, Western, Russia, Aspen, Colorado, Berlin, Chechen, Europe, Germans, Brazil

☆ Russian man who flew from Denmark to LAX without a ticket or passport is found guilty of being a stowaway
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-28 | by ( Tina Burnside | Paradise Afshar | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —A Russian man who flew from Copenhagen, Denmark, to Los Angeles International Airport without a ticket, passport or visa has been found guilty of being a stowaway on an aircraft, authorities said Friday. The case unfolded last November after Ochigava arrived at LAX on a Scandinavian Airlines flight, according to the attorney’s office. Ochigava – who held both Russian and Israeli passports – was arraigned on December 5 and pleaded not guilty to the charges, according to the attorney’s office. The following day, Ochigava passed through the boarding gate undetected and stowed away aboard the Scandinavian Airlines flight to Los Angeles, the release stated. Scandinavian Airlines flight crew members said most of them noticed Ochigava “because he wandered around the plane and kept changing his seat.

Persons: Sergey Vladimirovich Ochigava, Ochigava, “, Ochigava –, –, ”, hadn’t Organizations: CNN, Los Angeles International, US, Office, Central District of, LAX, Scandinavian Airlines, Customs and, FBI, Copenhagen Airport Locations: Copenhagen, Denmark, Central District, Central District of California, United States, Los Angeles, Russia

☆ Russia's weaker hand undermines case for Power of Siberia 2 gas link to China
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-30 | by ( Vladimir Soldatkin | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

Russia currently exports gas to China through the Power of Siberia 1 pipeline, which began operating in 2019 and runs through eastern Siberia into China's northeastern Heilongjiang province. Moscow has not said how much the 2,600 km (1,616 miles) Power of Siberia-2 would cost or how it would be financed. Russia aims to increase supplies via Power of Siberia 1 to 38 bcm annually by 2025. If the plans for Power of Siberia 2 and another link from Russia's far eastern island of Sakhalin come to fruition, Russia's pipeline gas exports to China would rise to almost 100 bcm per year by 2030. "This fact will require CNPC to build on its own all the necessary gas transportation infrastructure in China," Kondratov wrote.

Persons: Maxim, Xi Jinping, Vladimir Putin, Dmitry Kondratov, Kondratov, Sergey Vakulenko, Vakulenko, Viktoria Abramchenko, Andrew Hayley, Chen Aizhu, Oksana Kobzeva, Mark Trevelyan, Susan Fenton Organizations: REUTERS, Russia, East, Power, Gazprom, Economics, Russian Academy of Science, Carnegie Endowment, International, Soyuz, Thomson Locations: Siberia, Svobodny, Amur, Russia, East Power, Turkmenistan, MOSCOW, China, Europe, Yamal, Mongolia, Baltic, Moscow, Ukraine, Beijing, China's, Heilongjiang, Russian, Power, Russia's, Sakhalin, That's, Nord, Turkey, Japan, United States, Qatar, Australia, Singapore

☆ Russian failures in Ukraine are forcing Moscow to give up on one of the biggest Putin-era military reforms
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-11 | by ( Michael Peck | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

As a result, Russia's military is ditching one of the main reforms lauched under Vladimir PutinNEW LOOK Sign up to get the inside scoop on today’s biggest stories in markets, tech, and business — delivered daily. The German Army in World War II routinely formed combined-arms battlegroups ("kampfgruppen"), as did the US Army's task forces. BTGs were composed of professional contract soldiers, who are generally more capable, competent, and motivated than the sullen conscripts that still hamper Russia's army today. A few high-readiness battalions can't compensate for the low-readiness conscripts that make up about one-third of Russia's army. ALEXANDER NEMENOV/AFP via Getty Images"The Russian military is well-suited to short, high-intensity campaigns defined by a heavy use of artillery," Michael Kofman and Rob Lee, both experts on Russia's military, wrote in June 2022.

Persons: Vladimir Putin, —, Vladimir Putin's, Josef Stalin, SERGEY VENYAVSKY, Olesya, Tkacheva, BTGs, SERGEI VENYAVSKY, ALEXANDER NEMENOV, Michael Kofman, Rob Lee, Michael Peck Organizations: Service, Russian, Red Army, Tactical Groups, Getty, Ukraine —, Brussels School, Governance, Wilson Center, Washington DC, German Army, US, Foreign Military Studies Office, Britain's Royal United Services Institute, Troops, Soviet Army, British Army, Ministry of Defense, Russian Armed Forces, Defense, Foreign Policy, Twitter, LinkedIn Locations: Ukraine, Russia, Chechen, AFP, Washington, Russian, Georgia, Moscow, Syria, Russia's, Krasnodar, Soviet, BTGs, Germany, Forbes

☆ An orca mysteriously died thousands of miles from home after swallowing 7 sea otters whole
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-04 | by ( Maiya Focht | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Scientists were surprised to find seven fully intact sea otters in the orca's stomach. Combined, the sea otters weighed a whopping 242 pounds. But why sea otters? One of the sea otters was found lodged in the orca's esophagus, blocking her respiratory tract. AdvertisementAdvertisementWhy she swam all that way and why she seemingly swallowed seven otters whole may never be entirely clear.

Persons: —, Alex Ford, Sergey V, LiveScience Organizations: Service, University of Portsmouth, Newsweek, Reuters Locations: Russia, Eastern Pacific, Gulf of Alaska, California

Sergey Vladimirovich Cherkasov is accused of entering the US under a false identity to spy on Americans in the lead up to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Russia’s request was made before the US extradition request, the Brazilian statement emphasized. This image shows Vladimirovich Cherkasov upon arriving in Brazil, according to the complaint filed by the US Attorney's Office of the District of Columbia. He allegedly operated under the alias Victor Muller Ferreira after establishing the fake identity in Brazil, according to US prosecutors handling the case. The DOJ accused Cherkasov of working for Russia’s military intelligence service.

Persons: Sergey Vladimirovich Cherkasov, Cherkasov, Vladimirovich Cherkasov, District of Columbia Cherkasov, Victor Muller Ferreira, Biden, Evan Gershkovich, Paul Whelan Organizations: CNN, Brazil’s Ministry of Justice, Public Security, Federal, US, Office, District of Columbia, US Attorney's Office, US Justice Department, TASS, White, DOJ, Russia Locations: Russian, Russia, Ukraine, Brazil, United States, Washington , DC, Moscow

☆ South Africa’s President Says Putin Will Not Attend Diplomatic Summit
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-18 | by ( John Eligon | More About John Eligon | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

President Vladimir V. Putin will not attend a diplomatic summit in Johannesburg next month, South Africa’s president announced on Wednesday, a decision that allows the host nation to avoid the difficult predicament of whether to arrest the Russian leader, who is the subject of an international warrant. President Cyril Ramaphosa of South Africa had said in a court affidavit made public on Tuesday that his country would risk war with Russia if it arrested Mr. Putin at the summit. The decision for Mr. Putin not to attend was made “by mutual agreement,” according to a statement released by Mr. Ramaphosa’s office. Russia will instead be represented by its foreign minister, Sergey V. Lavrov, the statement said. South African officials were forced to weigh that alliance against its relationship with Western partners, which has been strained lately because of South Africa’s refusal to condemn Russia’s war in Ukraine.

Persons: Vladimir V, Putin, Cyril Ramaphosa of, Mr, Sergey V, Lavrov Organizations: South Locations: Johannesburg, Cyril Ramaphosa of South Africa, Russia, Ukraine

☆ Dismissing Rebellion as ‘Minor,’ Kremlin Dismantles Prigozhin’s Empire
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-30 | by ( Ivan Nechepurenko | Cassandra Vinograd | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

The mercenary rebellion that shook Russia was merely “a minor trouble,” the foreign minister said on Friday, warning the West not to think that President Vladimir V. Putin’s grip on power had weakened, even as the Kremlin continued to move against the leader of the mutiny. Speaking at a news conference, Foreign Minister Sergey V. Lavrov asserted that Russia would emerge “stronger and more resilient” after the short-lived putsch last Friday and Saturday by Yevgeny V. Prigozhin and his Wagner group troops, who have played a vital role in Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Mr. Lavrov dismissed the rebellion, which drove an armored column to within 125 miles of Moscow before turning back, as insignificant. “If someone in the West has doubts about this, then that’s their problem,” he said. But it is clear that the government is still cleaning up its aftermath.

Persons: Vladimir V, Sergey V, Lavrov, Yevgeny V, Prigozhin, Wagner, ”, Putin Organizations: Kremlin, Mr Locations: Russia, Ukraine, Moscow

☆ The Russian foreign minister hints of a possible prisoner swap for Gershkovich.
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-25 | by ( Farnaz Fassihi | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Russia’s foreign minister, Sergey V. Lavrov, hinted on Tuesday at the possibility of a prisoner swap involving two Americans detained in Russia, Paul Whelan and the Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich. Speaking at a wide-ranging news conference at the United Nations, Mr. Lavrov said the channel to discuss detained American and Russian citizens was created when President Biden and Russia’s president, Vladimir V. Putin, met in Geneva in 2021. Back then, Mr. Lavrov said, the channel did not provide “for the involvement of journalists.”“This is work that is not public in nature and publicity here will only complicate the process,” Mr. Lavrov said at the U.N., where Russia is wrapping up a contentious monthlong stint as president of the Security Council, a rotating position. Mr. Lavrov said that several American citizens were serving prison sentences in Russia for various crimes, but that Mr. Whelan and Mr. Gershkovich had been detained “when they were committing a crime, receiving material” that he maintained consisted of state secrets.

☆ Russia-Ukraine War News: Live Updates
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-21 | by ( Anushka Patil | Juston Jones | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +3 min

“We are nine hours apart and over 10,000 kilometers apart,” Mr. Zelensky told Mexico’s lower house of congress — the Chamber of Deputies — in a virtual address shortly before 1 p.m. there. But speaking to Mexican lawmakers, Mr. Zelensky did not ask for military hardware or money. President Andrés Manuel López Obrador of Mexico has said little publicly since he condemned the war days after it started in February 2022. Mr. López Obrador, who leads the left-wing Morena Party, did not show up in the chamber where Mr. Zelensky spoke over a video link. “We recognize in you the struggle that you have been waging all this time in defense of your homeland and the dignity of your people,” he said, addressing Mr. Zelensky.

☆ Arrested WSJ reporter could become 'bargaining chip' following West's success in smashing Russia's suspected global spy rings, ex-CIA officer says
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-01 | by ( Isobel Van Hagen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Numerous countries have detained or expelled suspected Russian spies in recent months. The arrest comes after several countries detained or expelled hundreds of suspected Russian spies in the preceding weeks and months. Hundreds of suspected Russian spies have been expelledSergey Vladimirovich Cherkasov, pictured in Russian military uniform Department of JusticeLast week, documents released by the Department of Justice revealed the dramatic story of an accused Russian spy. In a similar case in Australia in February, a local newspaper reported that authorities expelled a large Russian spy ring — whose members were posing as diplomats — from the country. Countries across Scandinavia have also made a significant clampdown on those accused of Russian espionage, Politico reports.

☆ An accused Russian spy boasted that infiltrating the US was easy. He's now in prison after getting caught with files that blew his cover.
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-25 | by ( Bethany Dawson | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Secret messages from court documents give a look into the wild life of an accused Russian spy. The DOJ accuses Sergey Cherkasov of operating undercover in the US, and got a cache of his messages. A screengrab of a message sent by Sergey Cherkasov, whom them US accuses of being a Russian spy. A screengrab of a message sent by Sergey Cherkasov, whom them US accuses of being a Russian spy. The DOJ accuses Cherkasov of acting as an unregistered foreign agent, using false documents, and lying to officials.

☆ A shadow fleet is helping Russia ship oil around the world. And it's growing
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-01 | by ( Julia Horowitz | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

London CNN —Russian oil is still finding its way to buyers around the world. Industry insiders estimate the size of that “shadow” fleet at roughly 600 vessels, or about 10% of the global number of large tankers. Andrey Rudakov/Bloomberg/Getty ImagesThe expansion of the shadow fleet highlights the dramatic changes Russia’s war has brought to the global oil market. As a result, an estimated 25 to 35 vessels are being sold per month into the shadow fleet, according to another senior executive at an oil trading firm. There are also questions about who ultimately runs the shadow fleet.

"Judging by the customs statistics, some of the benefit was captured by refiners in India and China, but the main beneficiaries must be oil shippers, intermediaries and the Russian oil companies," he added. As a further complication, some Russian oil grades, including Pacific grade ESPO, are also worth more than Urals. After decades of low profits or losses, sections of the global shipping industry are enjoying a financial boom from moving Russian oil. A year ago, a similar journey would have cost a seller of Russian oil $0.5-$1.0 million depending on shipping rates. Nayara is 49%-owned by Russian state oil major Rosneft, run by Putin's ally Igor Sechin, meaning some of the profits are indirectly captured by Russia.

☆ China says political trust with Russia has deepened after envoy's visit
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-04 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

SHANGHAI, Feb 4 (Reuters) - China said on Saturday that mutual political trust with Russia has continued to deepen after Vice Foreign Minister Ma Zhaoxu visited the country this week and met with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. China is willing to work with Russia to implement their strategic partnership and promote further progress in their relationship, the foreign ministry also said in its statement. Ma also met with Russia's Deputy Foreign Ministers Andrey Rudenko and Sergey Vershinin during his Feb. 2-3 visit, the statement said. The statement comes on the heels of heightened tension between China and the United States after the flight of a Chinese balloon over U.S. airspace. The foreign ministry statement about Ma's visit did not mention Ukraine, where Russia has waged a military operation for nearly a year.

☆ Russia denies Lavrov was taken to Bali hospital and treated for heart condition ahead of G-20 summit
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-14 | by ( Holly Ellyatt | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Russia's foreign ministry on Monday denied a report that Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov was taken to hospital after he arrived in Bali on Sunday for the G-20 meeting. AP, citing four Indonesian government and medical officials, reported that 72-year-old Lavrov had been taken to the hospital after landing in Bali, where he is set to attend the summit that begins on Tuesday, and had been treated for a heart condition, with no further details provided. Bali Governor I Wayan Koster told Reuters that Lavrov had visited hospital, for what he said was a check-up, and that the minister was in good health. She then posted a video of Lavrov dismissing reports he had fallen ill, saying Russia was used to similar reports speculating on the state of President Vladimir Putin's health. Images showed him arriving at the Ngurah Rai International Airport in Bali on Sunday and being greeted by officials.

Search resuls for: "Sergey V"

18 mentions found