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☆ China's yuan will take over as Russia's main trade currency 'once and for all' as US sanctions get tighter, think tank says
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-21 | by ( Filip De Mott | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

The latest batch of US sanctions against Russia will promote further use of the yuan, a think tank said. It argued that as ruble volatility increases, the Chinese currency will offer stability. While sanctions also threaten Chinese entities, they won't be enough to disrupt yuan trading, it said. AdvertisementFresh sanctions on Russia are too late to be a game-changer, but they will help cement the role of China's yuan in place of Western currencies, a think tank said. "In May, its share in exchange trading once again hit a new record, reaching 53.6 percent.

Persons: —, Alexandra Prokopenko, Prokopenko Organizations: Russia, Service, Carnegie, Carnegie Russia Eurasia Center, Kremlin Locations: Russia, Carnegie Russia, Moscow, Beijing, Kazakhstan, UAE

☆ Putin and his Kremlin clique are rolling out their own kids at the 'Russian Davos'
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-06 | by ( Huileng Tan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Read previewIt's the time of the year for the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum — or the "Russian Davos," as it's sometimes called. This year, the biggest names attending the event include Bolivian President Luis Arce and Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa. Related VideoBut the four-day economic forum, which started on Wednesday, now also features the children of the Kremlin's top echelons, Bloomberg reported on Wednesday. Advertisement"Now that this opportunity has become harder, the way to protect themselves is to appoint their children as bosses," Schulmann told Bloomberg. Putin is scheduled to address the economic forum on Friday.

Persons: —, Vladimir Putin's, Emmanuel Macron, Xi Jinping, Narendra Modi, Angela Merkel, Luis Arce, Emmerson Mnangagwa, Maria Vorontsova, Katerina Tikhonova, Anton Vaino's, Alexander, Ekaterina Schulmann, Schulmann, Putin Organizations: Service, St ., Economic, Indian, Business, Bolivian, Bloomberg, Russian Association for, Kremlin, Carnegie Russia Eurasia Center Locations: St, St . Petersburg, Russian Davos, Russian, Russia, Ukraine, Berlin

☆ With shake-up at defense ministry, ‘Putin’s chef’ gets his wish from beyond the grave
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-02 | by ( Sebastian Shukla | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

Berlin CNN —Removing a long-time defense minister from his post is nothing out of the ordinary. Arresting five of his senior staff, however, is clearly more than just a search for fresh blood — especially in Vladimir Putin’s Russia. Analysts who spoke to CNN described the defense ministry as one of the most corrupt in the country. Putin was likely awaiting his reelection by the Russian people in March before making moving in on the defense ministry. The defense ministry is central to how that war ends.

Persons: Vladimir Putin’s, Sergei Shoigu, Yevgeny Prigozhin, Wagner, ”, Shoigu, Valery Gerasimov, Prigozhin, Putin, Vladimir Putin, Alexander Kazakov, Stanovaya, Andrey Belousov, – Shamarin, Ivanov Mikhail Komin, Vadim Shamarin, General Vadim Shamarin, Reuters Shamarin, Ria Novosti, Timur Ivanov, Ivanov, Alexey Navalny, —, Turar Kazangapov, Oleg Savelyev, ” Komin, Prigozhin’s, Gerasimov, ” Stanovaya, Komin, “ it’s Organizations: Berlin CNN, CNN, West ., Reuters, Sputnik, Kremlin, Getty, Carnegie Russia Eurasia Center, Putin, European Council of Foreign Affairs, Main, Russian Armed Forces, “, Russian Defence Ministry . Russian Defence Ministry, Ria, Benz, Corruption Foundation, Russian, Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, Staff, Armed Forces Locations: Vladimir Putin’s Russia, Ukraine, Russia, Kharkiv, Donbas, Saint Petersburg, Moscow, Russian, AFP, Vienna, Courchevel, France, Astana, Kazakhstan

☆ The far-right is set to make huge gains in European election. It could define the next five years of European politics
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-31 | by ( Luke Mcgee | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

EU politics has always relied on awkward alliances between countries and political ideologies that represent vastly different electorates. Francois Greuez/SIPA/APThe European Parliament is the place where this is most visible at an EU level. Most of the lawmakers (known as MEPs) belong to a political party in their own country. ECR and ID are typical of European Parliament parties in that they are home to a pretty broad group of conservatives. The European Parliament can often seem like looks like a boring, bureaucratic blob, tediously grinding its way through process.

Persons: Francois Greuez, Angela Merkel, Christoph Reichwein, David Cameron, Georgia Meloni, Viktor Orban, Orban, Ursula von der Leyen, Giorgia Meloni, Hungary's Viktor Orban, –, Geert Wilders Organizations: CNN, European Union, National Rally, European, European People’s Party, EPP, European Conservatives, Politico, British, Brexit, Georgia, Ukraine, Russia EU, EU, SS, Nazi, Dursun, ERC, European Commission, Kremlin Locations: United States, South Africa, Mexico, Taiwan, Ukraine, China, EU, France, Belgian, Brussels, Hungary, Russia, Italian, Anadolu, United Kingdom, Germany, Europe, Netherlands, Europe’s

☆ In Beijing, Xi and Putin left no question of their close alignment in a divided world
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-17 | by ( Simone Mccarthy | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

Putin’s two-day state visit comes as Western leaders have leant on Xi to ensure that soaring exports from his country aren’t propping up the Russian war effort – a claim Beijing denies. Putin also traveled to Beijing with top security officials who the Russian president said Thursday would join informal talks on Ukraine. Beijing, which says it is neutral on the war, has repeatedly defended its trade with Russia as part of normal bilateral relations. Xi, analysts say, is seeking to keep Putin as a close partner, while not stepping over Western red lines. For that reason, she added, “he’s okay with on-going dependency between Russia and China – and with inequality in this relationship.”

Persons: Xi Jinping, Vladimir Putin’s, Xi, Putin, Putin’s, Andrey Belousov, Sergey Shoigu, “ Putin, he’s, Kurt Volker, “, ”, Alexandra Prokopenko Organizations: Hong Kong CNN, United, –, Israel, Hamas, Russian, Russian Security, Chinese Communist Party, Chinese Foreign Ministry, Observers, CNN, Carnegie Russia Eurasia Center Locations: Hong Kong, Beijing, United States, Taiwan, Gaza, Russian, China, ”, Russia, North Korea, Ukraine, China’s Harbin, Siberia, Europe

☆ Genius or madness? Why Putin wants an economist to be Russia's new defense minister at a key point in the war
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-14 | by ( Holly Ellyatt | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +7 min

But Putin's replacement of Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu was unexpected — and his choice of successor, civilian economist Andrei Belousov, was even more of a surprise. Russia's incoming Defense Minister Andrey Belousov. "Belousov's main goal is to secure [Russia's] military needs in terms of arms. The Kremlin announced on Sunday that Shoigu, Russia's defense minister since 2012, had been relieved of his post and would become secretary of Russia's influential Security Council. Prigozhin died last August in a plane crash after a short-lived and ill-fated rebellion against Russia's military leadership.

Persons: Vladimir Putin, Miguel Diaz, Maxim Shemetov, Sergei Shoigu, Andrei Belousov, Belousov, Putin, Andrey Belousov, Shoigu, Belousov's, Dmitry Peskov, Peskov, Uralvagonzavod, Ramil Sitdikov, Staff Valery Gerasimov, Tatiana Stanovaya, Stanovaya, Nikolai Patrushev, Yevgeny Prigozhin, Ukraine —, Prigozhin, Valery Gerasimov, Mikhail Klimentyev Organizations: Cuban, Canel, Reuters, NATO, Institute for, Anadolu, Getty, Kremlin, Russian MoD, Defense Ministry, Sputnik, Afp, Staff, Carnegie Russia Eurasia Center, CNBC, Nazi, Security, Wagner Group, Russian Armed Forces, Russian Defence, Defence Ministry Board, National Defence Control Centre Locations: Moscow, Russia, Ukraine, Washington, Kharkiv, Russian, Urals, Nizhny Tagil, Nazi Germany, Kremlin

☆ Putin replaces Russia's defense minister with civilian economist in unexpected move
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-13 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

In this pool photograph distributed by the Russian state agency Sputnik, Russia's President Vladimir Putin attends the Victory Day military parade in central Moscow on May 9, 2024. Mikhail Klimentyev | Afp | Getty ImagesRussian President Vladimir Putin tapped a civilian economist as his surprise new defense minister on Sunday in an attempt to gird Russia for economic war by trying to better utilize the defense budget and harness greater innovation to win in Ukraine. More than two years into the conflict, which has cost both sides heavy casualties, Putin proposed Andrei Belousov, a 65-year-old former deputy prime minister who specializes in economics, to replace his long-term ally, Sergei Shoigu, 68, as defense minister. That, said Peskov, meant it was vital to ensure such spending aligned with and was better integrated into the country's overall economy, which was why Putin now wanted a civilian economist in the defense ministry job. Putin's move, though unexpected, preserves balance at the top of the complex system of personal loyalties that make up the current political system.

Persons: Vladimir Putin, Mikhail Klimentyev, Putin, Andrei Belousov, Sergei Shoigu, Nikolai Patrushev, Patrushev, Dmitry Peskov, Peskov, Belousov, Alexander Baunov Organizations: Sputnik, Victory Day, Afp, Getty, Security, Putin, West, Defence, Carnegie Russia Eurasia Center Locations: Russian, Moscow, Russia, Ukraine, Soviet Union

☆ The US is weighing using the power of the dollar to stop Chinese banks aiding Russia — but its plan could backfire
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-23 | by ( Tom Porter | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Chinese banks are helping to aid Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the US alleges. The US is considering sanctions to cut Chinese banks off from the dollar, according to The Wall Street Journal. AdvertisementThe US is drawing up sanctions that could cause some Chinese banks to lose access to the dollar, according to The Wall Street Journal. In response to previous sanctions, Russia and China intensified efforts to create exchange mechanisms that don't rely on the dollar. Alexandra Prokopenko, a fellow at the Carnegie Russia Eurasia Center think tank, told The Wall Street Journal that regional Chinese banks had emerged that had little involvement in dollar exchanges.

Persons: —, Antony Blinken, Alexandra Prokopenko, Prokopenko, Maria Snegovaya Organizations: Wall Street, Service, Reuters, Financial, Carnegie Russia Eurasia Center, Center for Strategic, International Studies Locations: Ukraine, China, Russia, Italy, Russian

☆ Russia's economic strength will last another 18 months before unraveling as Putin grapples with policy 'trilemma,' think tank says
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-22 | by ( Jennifer Sor | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

download the appSign up to get the inside scoop on today’s biggest stories in markets, tech, and business — delivered daily. Read previewRussia's economic strength could last another year-and-a-half before it starts to fade, according to the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. In a best-case scenario, the current arrangement will likely begin to come apart within eighteen months owing to growing imbalances and possible social problems," Prokopenko warned. In other words, temporary fixes and a decline in living standards will add to the political and economic headwinds facing the Kremlin," Prokopenko said. Experts have warned of near-term social unrest in Russia, particularly as living standards continue to deteriorate.

Persons: —, Alexandra Prokopenko, Prokopenko, Putin Organizations: Service, Carnegie Endowment, International Peace, Washington DC, Monetary Fund, Business, Carnegie Russia Eurasia Center, Kremlin Locations: Ukraine, Russia, Moscow

☆ The Moscow-Beijing alliance is here to stay because partnering with China is the only way Putin can sustain his conflict with the West, think tank says
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-14 | by ( Jennifer Sor | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

Russia's growing partnership with China isn't going to fade, a think-tank director said. The West should consider enforcing economic sanctions on China as well, he said. download the app Email address Sign up By clicking “Sign Up”, you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy . In an op-ed for Foreign Affairs, the think-tank director pointed to Russia and China's economies becoming increasingly intertwined since Moscow began its invasion of Ukraine in 2022. The two nations scaled up their trade partnership to a record $240 billion last year, partly because China has snapped up key Russian commodities while the West has shunned trade with Moscow.

Persons: China isn't, Putin, —, Vladimir Putin, Alexander Gabuev Organizations: Service, Carnegie Russia Eurasia Center, Foreign Affairs, Business Locations: China, Beijing, Russia, Moscow, Ukraine

☆ Central Asian migrants face xenophobic backlash in Russia after Moscow terror attack
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-29 | by ( Sebastian Shukla | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

The men had been in Russia as migrant workers on either temporary or expired visas, authorities said. But in the days since, that emotion – combined with the disturbing videos – appears to have unleashed a wave of xenophobia from some towards Central Asian migrant workers in general. Her organization offers legal assistance to migrants looking for help in Russia, often on a pro bono basis. We need to spread the word.”A user in another channel, with 200,000 followers, suggested there was no space for anyone to feel sorry for migrants in Russia. According to Umerov, there are some 7 million migrants in Russia, of whom around 80% are from Central Asia.

Persons: Moskovsky, “ I’m, Vladimir Putin, Shamsidin, Dalerdzhon Mirzoyev, Muhammadsobir Fayzov, Yulia Morozova, Putin, ”, ‘ It’s, Valentina Chupik, Tong Jahoni, Temur Umerov, don’t, ” Umerov, Umerov, Emomali Rahmon, “ Putin Organizations: CNN, Moscow’s Crocus, Central, Crocus City Hall, Reuters, Soviet, Kazakhstan —, Human Rights Watch, Central Asia, Carnegie Russia Eurasia Center, Hall, Russian, Kyrgyz Foreign Ministry, European Bank for Reconstruction, “, Institute of Economics, Russian Academy of Sciences, ISIS, Kremlin Locations: Moscow’s Crocus City, Tajikistan, Soviet, Central Asia, Russia, Ivanovo, Russian, Crocus, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, Illinois, Moscow, Central, Berlin, Ukraine, Kyrgyz, Tashkent, Western

☆ Russians vote in an election that Putin will win, but the Kremlin is looking for a landslide victory
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-15 | by ( Holly Ellyatt | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +7 min

Mikhail Svetlov/Getty ImagesThere are no surprises over who will win Russia's presidential election this coming weekend with incumbent, Vladimir Putin, set to win a fifth term in office, keeping him in power until at least 2030. The heavily stage-managed vote taking place from Friday to Sunday is not expected to throw up any nasty surprises for the Kremlin which told CNBC months ago that it was confident Putin would win the vote comfortably. That's particularly the case in a country where Russian opposition figures are not represented on the ballot paper or in mainstream politics, with most activists having fled the country. "According to official data, Putin received 77.5% of valid votes in the 2018 presidential election that saw a turnout of 67.5%. Russian opposition activists, most in self-imposed exile in order to evade arrest, imprisonment or attack, have also condemned the election.

Persons: Vladimir Putin, Mikhail Svetlov, Putin, That's, Alexei Navalny, there's, Vladislav Davankov, Leonid Slutsky, Nikolay Kharitonov, Russia's, Yekaterina Duntsova, Boris Nadezhdin, Andrei Kolesnikov, —, Diego Herrera Carcedo, Andreas Tursa, Russian Federation's, Yulia Navalnaya, Dmitrii, we're Organizations: Kremlin, CNBC, New People, Liberal Democratic Party, Communist Party, Russia's, Commission, Levada, Carnegie Russia Eurasia Center, Anadolu Agency, Getty, Putin, Teneo, Russian Democratic Society, Festival Locations: Kremlin, Ukraine, Russia, Klishchiivka, Donetsk Oblast, Europe, Kyiv, Crimea, Zaporizhzhia, Kherson, Donetsk, Luhansk, Russian, London, Sirius, Sochi, Stavropolsky Krai, Krasnodar Krai

☆ Putin appears unstoppable, but even he 'doesn't know where the tolerance of the Russian people lies,' an economic historian said
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-26 | by ( Huileng Tan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Russia's economy appears resilient amid its war with Ukraine which has entered its third year. Military spending has reached 40% of Russia's budget, overshadowing social spending. AdvertisementDespite sweeping Western sanctions over the invasion of Ukraine, Russia posted a GDP growth of 3.6% in 2023 after contracting 1.2% in 2022. Experts say Russia's growth is driven primarily by war spending and subsidies. An International Monetary Fund official told CNBC earlier this month that Russia's economy is starting to look like the Soviet Union's.

Persons: —, Putin, Mark Harrison, Harrison, Alexandra Prokopenko Organizations: Guardian, Military, Service, Warwick University, Monetary Fund, Foreign Affairs, Carnegie Russia Eurasia Center, Center of Eastern European, International, International Monetary Fund, CNBC Locations: Ukraine, Moscow, Russia, Russian, Soviet Union, Soviet

☆ Inside the deadly Russian Arctic prison where Alexey Navalny spent his last days
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-19 | by ( Kwan Wei Kevin Tan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Deceased Russian dissident Alexey Navalny spent his final days in one of Russia's harshest prisons. Located near the Arctic Circle, the IK-3 prison colony is infamous for its terrible conditions. AdvertisementNavalny might have joked about prison life, but the reality of life behind bars was brutalA satellite image of the IK-3 prison colony where Navalny was detained. While Navalny did crack a couple of dark jokes about prison life, inmates in Russia's penal colonies often have to contend with brutal living conditions. Khulilidze told Life that his beating lasted about half an hour and he wasn't given any medical assistance after that.

Persons: Alexey Navalny, —, Navalny, Igor Kalyapin, Vladimir Putin, Putin, Vera Savina, Santa, I'm, Tatiana Stanovaya, Stanovaya, Meduza, Antonina Favorskaya, Mikho, Khulilidze, It's, Joe Biden, Jens Stoltenberg, Biden Organizations: IK, Service, Moscow Times, Getty, Prison Service, Maxar Technologies, Reuters, US State Department, State Department, Carnegie Russia Eurasia Center, BBC, Russia's Federal Prison Service, NATO Locations: Moscow, AFP, Russia, Santa Claus, IK, Russian, Russia's

☆ Russia may have to raise taxes to meet the spiraling cost of invading Ukraine: UK intel
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-05 | by ( Thibault Spirlet | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

The Kremlin has plans to hike Russia's spending by 26% in 2024, per the UK's Ministry of Defence. Russia's National Wealth Fund is "increasingly being used to fund its invasion of Ukraine," it said. AdvertisementThe Kremlin will likely need to impose austerity measures to resolve Russia's budget deficit amid the growing cost of its invasion of Ukraine, according to UK intelligence. Advertisement"It is likely that the government will need to reduce its contributions to the National Wealth Fund and increase domestic taxes and debt to fund its planned expenditure," the UK MOD said. Such policies will have negative medium-to-long-term impacts, the UK MOD said on Monday.

Persons: —, Alexandra Prokopenko, who's Organizations: Ministry of Defence, MOD, Wealth, Service, UK Ministry of Defence, National Wealth Fund, Carnegie Russia Eurasia Center, Center of Eastern European, International Studies, Foreign, Reuters, Bloomberg, International Monetary Fund, IMF Locations: Ukraine, Russia, Soviet Union, Russian

☆ Russian war critic poses an awkward challenge for Putin and the Kremlin as the election nears
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-02 | by ( Holly Ellyatt | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +9 min

The Kremlin has sought to dismiss Nadezhdin's potential to upset an election whose win for Putin is seen as a done deal. Kremlin Press Secretary Dmitry Peskov told CNBC Thursday that "we are not inclined to exaggerate the level of support for Mr. However, Nadezhdin's recent growing popularity and prominence has changed that, political analysts say, and he now poses a challenge and a dilemma for the Kremlin as the election nears. Nadezhdin has said in interviews that he would end the war with Ukraine, describing the war as a "fatal mistake." Stanovaya believed it was likely that the CEC would not recognize a portion of the signatures that Nadezhdin has garnered.

Persons: Boris Nadezhdin, Vera Savina, Vladimir Putin's, Nadezhdin, Putin, Dmitry Peskov, isn't, Putin's, Tatiana Stanovaya, he's, Stanovaya, András, Czifra, Peskov Organizations: Civic Initiative, Central, Commission, Afp, Getty, Kremlin, CNBC, Carnegie Russia Eurasia Center, Duma, Ukraine, Moscow, Election Commission, CEC, Eurasia, Foreign Policy Research Institute, Boris Nadezhdin Press, Central Electoral, Putin, Kremlin's Locations: Moscow, Russia, Ukraine, Russian, Mar, today's Russia, Anadolu

☆ Ukraine piling pressure on China but Beijing’s peace plans are focused on Gaza
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-19 | by ( Simone Mccarthy | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

Hong Kong CNN —As Ukraine scrambles to keep international support with Russia’s invasion grinding into a third year, its leader has made clear one country he would like to see join his push for peace: China. There, Zelensky told reporters he would “very much like China to be involved” in Ukraine’s peace plan. “China thinks it is already playing an important role in moving toward peace. There is even less reason for China to ‘advance a fair peace as advocated by the West and Ukraine,’” she said. But when it comes to how Beijing may maneuver toward brokering peace in Gaza, China likely doesn’t see itself as yet having captured the opportunity “to present itself as a conflict mediator,” according to Sun.

Persons: Ukraine scrambles, –, Volodymyr Zelensky, Zelensky, Li Qiang, Zelensky –, It’s, ”, Yun Sun, Xi Jinping, ’ ”, Li, Wang Yi, Wang, Xi, Alex Gabeuv, Israel, “, Svitlana Organizations: Hong Kong CNN —, Economic, Stimson, Kyiv, Sun, West, CNN, Arab League, Palestine, Global, Carnegie Russia Eurasia Center, China’s, Ministry Locations: Hong Kong, Ukraine, China, Beijing, Switzerland’s Davos, Interfax, Russia, Washington, Moscow, Davos, Gaza, Russia’s, CNN China, Cairo, Africa, Israel, Palestine, United States, that’s, Berlin, Global, Switzerland, Saudi Arabia, counterbalancing, Kyiv, London

How the Russian Government Silences Wartime DissentJust days after invading Ukraine, President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia signed a censorship law that made it illegal to “discredit” the army. The indignities of the crackdown, and the long arm of the Russia law, is being lost in the numbers. Nanna Heitmann for The New York TimesIn dry legalese, the court documents recount the Russian state’s case against these statements and protests. People’s “negative assessment” of the Russian military could adversely affect its performance, the court said, presenting a national security risk. And I very much don’t want this.”Sergei Platonov at district court in Moscow listening to his guilty verdict in November.

Persons: Vladimir V, Putin, ”, — schoolteachers, —, That’s, Ukraine —, pollsters, Andrei Kolesnikov, Demyan, Aleksandr T, Olga V, ” Maksim L, Omsk Diana I, Denis V, Russia ”, “, Maksim P, Anna S, Maria V, people’s “, Russia’s, Zaynulla Gadzhiyev, Mr, Bespokoyev, Marina Tsurmast, scrawled, Nanna Heitmann, Tsurmast, Gadzhiyev, Vladimir Kara, Murza, Aleksandra Y, Skochilenko, Selimat, Vladimir A, Rustam I, ” Yelena L, Aleksandr K, Olga P, Dmitri D, Sergei V, Eve, Daria Ivanova, Ms, Ivanova, “ you’ll, Anton Redikultsev, Redikultsev, Jan, Marina, Sergei P, ” Yuldash, ” Dmitri S, Peskov, Putin’s, Sergei Platonov, Platonov, Russian Gestapo ”, Polina, Kolesnikov, Anna Sliva, Sliva Organizations: New York Times, Times, Carnegie Russia Eurasia Center, OVD, Penza Yuriy V, Russia, ”, Ukraine ” “, YouTube, Bucha, Ukraine, Police, The New York Times, Armed Forces, Russian Federation, VK, Russian Gestapo, The New York Locations: Russia, Russian, Ukraine, “, Omsk, Peace, Ukraine ” “ Ukraine, Bucha, Moscow, St, Petersburg, Iglino, ”, Novosibirsk, Siberia, Crimea, Ukrainian, Kalga, Russia’s, OVD, Coast, Primorye, Soviet

Ten days after that, Russia said a Hamas delegation was in Moscow for talks. Moscow has offered to host a regional meeting of foreign ministers and Putin has said that Russia is well placed to help. "My explanation is it's because the war is becoming the organising principle of Russian foreign policy and (because of) ties with Iran, which brings military materiel to the table. The central Russian war effort is more important than, for example, the relationship with Israel." "We're going to finish this war (with Hamas) ... After this, Russia will pay the price," Weitmann said in a stormy October interview with Russian state broadcaster RT.

Persons: Vladimir Putin, Yosri, Putin, Benjamin Netanyahu, Sergei Markov, Washington, Hanna Notte, Moscow, Alexei Pushkov, Pushkov, Markov, Alex Gabuev, Anatoly Viktorov, Alexander Ben Zvi, Mikhail Bogdanov, Amir Weitmann, Weitmann, we're, Andrew Osborn, Mike Collett, White, Nick Macfie Organizations: Hamas, West Bank, REUTERS, West, EU, Kremlin, U.S, Carnegie Russia Eurasia Center, Likud, RT, Ukraine, Thomson Locations: Russian, Gaza, Israel, Hebron, Russia, Moscow, United States, U.S, EU, Iran, Tehran, Ukraine, Berlin, Washington, Palestine, Arab, Jerusalem, Syria

LONDON (AP) — Russia's State Duma took a step forward Wednesday towards approving its biggest-ever federal budget which will increase spending by around 25% in 2024, with record amounts going on defense. Part of the Russian budget is secret as the Kremlin tries to conceal its military plans and sidestep scrutiny of its war in Ukraine. Analysts suggest Russia is in third place globally for defense spending behind China and the United States, which spends around $850 billion a year. The main driver of that growth is Russia's war in Ukraine, which is now as important to the Kremlin economically as it is politically. If there is a reduction in military spending, or a need to reduce spending which impacts living standards, it could send shockwaves through the Russian economy and significantly impact ordinary people.

Persons: Vladimir Putin, ”, Richard Connolly, Farida Rustamova, Maksim Tovkaylo, Alexandra Prokopenko, Anton Siluanov, “, Connolly, they’ve, ” Prokopenko, Prokopenko, — — David McHugh Organizations: —, Duma, Kremlin, Royal United Services Institute, Independent, Carnegie Russia Eurasia Center, Russian Central Bank, Finance, Defense, Central Bank Locations: — Russia's, Russia, Ukraine, London, China, United States, Russian, West, India, Berlin, Frankfurt

☆ As the West courts Russia's neighbors, Putin shows he won't give up its backyard without a fight
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-09 | by ( Holly Ellyatt | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +8 min

Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Eurasian Economic Summit on Nov. 9, 2022, in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan. Russian President Vladimir Putin and Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev at a joint news conference at the Kremlin in Moscow, on Feb. 10, 2022. "Central Asia obviously has to keep a fine balance and tread that line," Hess said. Analysts note that while an economically isolated Russia wants and needs to keep Central Asia on side, it is gradually losing its grip on the region. Russian President Vladimir Putin, Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev arrive for a working breakfast of the leaders of the Commonwealth of Independent States in Moscow, Russia, on May 9, 2023.

Persons: Vladimir Putin, Keen, Emmanuel Macron, Putin, Ilham Aliyev, Serdar Berdimuhamedow, Emomali Rahmon, Alexander Lukashenko, Sergei Lavrov, —, it's, Max Hess, Hess, Kassym, Mikhail Klimentyev, Xi Jinping, Florence Lo, they've, Temur Umarov, Tokayev, Shavkat Mirziyoyev, Vladimir Smirnov Organizations: Economic, Getty, Russia, Commonwealth of Independent States, Russian, Central Asia —, Central Asian, Kazakh, CIS, West, Georgia, Foreign Policy Research Institute, CNBC, Kremlin, Reuters Central, Central, Central Asia Summit, Afp, Shanghai Cooperation Organization, Carnegie Russia Eurasia Center, Commonwealth of Independent, Sputnik Locations: Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, Central Asia, Moscow, Russian, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kazakh, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, China, Soviet, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Baltic States, Soviet Union, Moldova, Ukraine, U.S, Afghanistan, Asia, Xian, Shaanxi

☆ Russia is turning increasingly hostile toward Israel as it picks sides in the Middle East
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-08 | by ( Holly Ellyatt | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +7 min

JERUSALEM, ISRAEL - JANUARY 23: Russian President Vladimir Putin and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (L) attend their meeting at Prime Minister's Office on January 23, 2020 in Jerusalem, Israel. Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi greets Russian President Vladimir Putin on July 19, 2022. Russia's President Vladimir Putin (R) shakes hands with his Syrian counterpart Bashar al-Assad during a meeting in Sochi on November 20, 2017. Russian President Vladimir Putin prepares to greet Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during their meeting on Jan. 23, 2020, in Jerusalem. Russia's President Vladimir Putin with senior Saudi officials in 2014.

Persons: Vladimir Putin, Benjamin Netanyahu, Mikhail Svetlov, Russia's, Petroleum Javad, Putin, Erdogan, Ebrahim Raisi, John Drennan, Sergei Savostyanov, Mark Galeotti, Israel, Israel Russia's, Sergei Lavrov, Bashar al, Assad, UN Vasily Nebenzya, Tatiana Stanovaya, Stanovaya, Rob Griffith Organizations: Israeli, Minister's Office, Getty, Israel's, Petroleum, Turkish, Israel, U.S . Institute of Peace, AFP, Ministry, Russian Foreign Affairs, Russian, UN, Carnegie Russia Eurasia Center, Kremlin, America, Saudi, Afp Locations: JERUSALEM, ISRAEL, Jerusalem, Israel, Russia, Gaza, East, Tehran, Iran, Ukraine, Syria, Moscow, Saudi Arabia, Saudi, Arabia, Sochi, Tel Aviv

Russia has issued carefully calibrated criticism of both sides in the war between Israel and Hamas. It also expects the Israel-Hamas war to distract attention from the fighting in Ukraine and erode support for Kyiv. Russian President Vladimir Putin has condemned the Oct. 7 attack by Hamas militants on towns in southern Israel. Unlike Putin, who carefully balanced his statements, other Russian officials were more blunt in their criticism of Israeli strikes on Gaza. But this position also threatens Russia's friendly ties with Israel, which hasn’t joined Western sanctions against Moscow or given weapons to Ukraine.

Persons: Vladimir Putin, Israel, ”, Putin, Joe Biden, Rishi Sunak, Benjamin Netanyahu, Netanyahu, Konstantin Kosachev, Ramzan Kadyrov, assailing, hasn’t, Andrei Kortunov, Amir Weitmann, “, Dmitry Peskov, Vladimir Solovyov, Yevgeny Satanovsky, Mikhail Bogdanov, Maria Zakharova detests, ” Alexander Baunov, ” Izabella Tabarovsky Organizations: Kyiv, Washington, Security, U.S, British, Palestinian Authority, Hamas, Moscow, Russian International Affairs Council, The, Likud, Kremlin, RT, Ukraine, Foreign, Carnegie Russia Eurasia Center, Kennan Institute Locations: Russia, Israel, Moscow, Ukraine, Russian, Gaza, Nazi, Leningrad, Palestinian, China, Beijing, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Syria, Chechnya, assailing Israel, Maria Zakharova detests Israel, israel, russia, ukraine

☆ Xi and Putin to reunite in China as divisions with the West sharpen
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-16 | by ( Simone Mccarthy | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

Putin and Xi, who frequently refer to their close friendship, have met 40 times in the past decade, including twice since the start of the war in Ukraine. “And for China, having an important international player like Putin to join the BRI summit is also politically important,” he added. Chinese leader Xi Jinping inspects the honor guard at the Moscow Vnukovo Airport on March 20, 2023. Last year, Russia and China saw record trade, which continued to grow in 2023. Xi and Putin are expected to discuss the conflict in their upcoming meeting – where Russia’s war in Ukraine will also likely feature.

Persons: Vladimir Putin, Xi Jinping, Ukraine –, ’, Xi, Putin, “, ”, Li Mingjiang, Xie Huanchi, “ China, Alex Gabuev, it’s, Xu Wei, Joe Biden, Wang Yi, Israel –, Li, don’t Organizations: Beijing CNN —, Hamas, Palestinian, Forum, West, Singapore’s Nanyang Technological University, Moscow Vnukovo Airport, Getty, Carnegie Russia Eurasia Center, ’, Xinhua, United Nations Security, UN, Israel, Ukraine Locations: China, Beijing, United States, Ukraine, Moscow, Russian, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Xinhua, Europe, Berlin, East, Israel, Gaza, Leningrad, Singapore

TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) — Russian President Vladimir Putin is expected to meet this week with Chinese leaders in Beijing on a visit that underscores China’s economic and diplomatic support for Moscow during its war in Ukraine. China has sought to balance its ties with Israel with its economic relations with Iran and Syria, which are strongly backed by Russia. Putin’s visit is also a show of support for Chinese leader Xi Jinping’s signature Belt and Road drive to build infrastructure and expand China’s overseas influence. “I don’t expect that Russia and China will create a military alliance,” Gabuev said. China and the former Soviet Union were Cold War rivals for influence among left-leaning states, but have since partnered in the economic, military and diplomatic spheres.

Persons: Vladimir Putin, Putin’s, Xi, Putin, ”, ” Putin, ” Alexander Gabuev, that’s, ” Gabuev, “, Beijing's, hasn't Organizations: Moscow, Soviet Union, Carnegie Russia Eurasia Center, Ukraine, Associated Press, International Locations: TAIPEI, Taiwan, Beijing, Ukraine, United States, Israel, China, Iran, Syria, Russia, Russian, Zambia, Sri Lanka, Moscow, Central Asia, “, Asia, Europe, Cold

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