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☆ Russia’s army is so ineffective it will probably not be able to take much territory in Ukraine for ‘the next several months’, UK intel says
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-12 | by ( Sinéad Baker | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

The UK MOD said Russia looked unlikely to make any big gains in Ukraine for months. It's highly unlikely that Russia can generate an effective striking force in the coming months, it said. Ukraine, meanwhile, predicted an increase in its offensive moves once the ground freezes. The British defense ministry said in an intelligence update on Monday that "Russian ground forces are unlikely to make operationally significant advances within the next several months." On December 3, Avril Haines, the US National Intelligence Director, said that winter conditions are expected to slow the war, and that there was already a "reduced tempo."

☆ Putin cancels annual marathon year-end TV news conference
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-12 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Dec 12 (Reuters) - President Vladimir Putin will not hold his traditional televised year-end news conference this month, the Kremlin said on Monday, 10 months into Russia's stuttering invasion of Ukraine. But the war, which began on Feb. 24, has not gone well for Putin. His forces were beaten back from the Ukrainian capital Kyiv early on, and have suffered major battlefield setbacks in the east and south of Ukraine. He said Putin would find other ways to communicate with journalists, noting that he had held other news conferences, including on his trips abroad. Last Friday, Putin answered questions from reporters during a visit to the Kyrgyz capital Bishkek.

☆ Tony Brenton discusses Russia-Ukraine war and prospects of negotiation
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-12 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailRussia's strategy of bombing Ukraine 'into being ready to talk' isn't working: Former ambassadorTony Brenton, former British Ambassador to Russia, says he doesn't think serious negotiations are close.

☆ Russian attacks grind on in eastern Ukraine as Bakhmut is 'destroyed'
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-10 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

An aerial view of Bakhmut, the site of the heaviest battles with the Russian troops, in the Donetsk region, Ukraine, Friday, Dec. 9, 2022. Zelenskyy said the situation "remains very difficult" in several frontline cities in eastern Ukraine's Donetsk and Luhansk provinces. "The occupiers actually destroyed Bakhmut, another Donbas city that the Russian army turned into burnt ruins." He said Ukrainian forces repelled Russian attacks in Donetsk and neighboring Luhansk. Taking Bakhmut would rupture Ukraine's supply lines and open a route for Russian forces to press on toward Kramatorsk and Sloviansk, key Ukrainian strongholds in Donetsk.

A blast hit an airbase inside Russia on Tuesday, the latest in a series of apparent Ukrainian drone attacks that showcase an ability to strike at the heart of Russian territory and suggest a new boldness in Kyiv's fight against Moscow's war. An airfield at Kursk in southwest Russia, near the Ukrainian border, was ablaze on Tuesday morning, with regional governor Roman Starovoit saying the incident was the result of a drone attack. The Engels base houses Russia's strategic bombing fleet of tu-160 and tu-95 planes, which have been used on long-range bombing missions to Ukraine and can be adapted to carry nuclear weapons. "It’s important from a morale point of view that some Russian strategic resources are being targeted." Russia has the firepower to carry on bombing Ukraine, he added.

☆ U.S. not enabling or encouraging Ukraine to strike beyond its borders -spokesman
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-06 | by ( Humeyra Pamuk | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

WASHINGTON, Dec 6 (Reuters) - The United States is not enabling or encouraging Ukraine to strike beyond its borders, the State Department said on Tuesday, after Ukraine demonstrated an apparent new ability to penetrate hundreds of kilometers into Russian air space with attacks on air bases. On Tuesday, a third Russian airfield in Kursk, which lies closer to Ukraine, was set ablaze in another drone strike. "We are not enabling Ukraine to strike beyond its borders. We are not encouraging Ukraine to strike beyond its borders," U.S. State Department spokesman Ned Price told reporters. It was not the first time Russia had accused Ukraine of using drones for attacks inside its borders since beginning its war against Ukraine in late February.

☆ Russia deploys defence missile system on Kuril island near Japan
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-06 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Russian Defence Ministry/Handout via REUTERSDec 6 (Reuters) - Russia's defence ministry has said it has deployed mobile coastal defence missile systems on a northern Kuril island - part of a strategically located chain of islands that stretch between Japan and the Russian Kamchatka Peninsula. Japan lays claim to the Russian-held southern Kuril islands that Tokyo calls the Northern Territories, a territorial row that dates back to the end of World War Two when Soviet troops seized them from Japan. The Russian Bastion missile systems, which have missiles with a flight range of up to 500 km (310 miles), were deployed on the island of Paramushir in the northern portion of the Kuril Islands, the Russian defence ministry said on Monday. This deployment comes a year after Russia set up the Bastion systems on the island of Matua, in the central part of the Kuril ridge, the ministry said in a statement. Russia withdrew from peace treaty talks with Japan and froze joint economic projects related to the disputed Kuril Islands because of Japanese sanctions over Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

☆ Ukraine appears to show ability to strike far inside Russia
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-06 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

[1/2] A satellite image shows bomber in flight at northeast of Engels Air Base in Saratov, Russia, December 3, 2022. Late on Tuesday, sirens sounded on the territory of the airfield in Engels, Russian state-run news agencies reported, citing Yevgeny Shpolsky, first deputy of the Engels district administration. Ukraine never publicly acknowledges responsibility for attacks inside Russia. The price cap of $60-a-barrel was imposed on Monday at a level above the current price for Urals crude from Russia, the world's second largest oil exporter. ZELENSKIY WITH TROOPSMeanwhile on the battlefields of eastern, northeastern and southern Ukraine, Russian forces kept up their shelling of towns and villages, the Ukrainian military said in its Tuesday evening report.

☆ Russia's story on the mysterious explosions that rocked bases housing strategic bombers acknowledges a glaring weakness
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-05 | by ( Charles R. Davis | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

On Monday, Russia blamed Ukraine for explosions at two air bases home to strategic bombers. The attacks were carried out with "Soviet-era" drones, per Russia's Ministry of Defense. If true, that is a "baffling" admission, military expert Samuel Bendett told Insider. "Baffling," Samuel Bendett, a military expert with the Center for Naval Analysis, a Washington think tank, said in an interview. Neither Ukraine nor Russia claimed it was theirs, but the incident showed the craft is still being used today.

☆ Russia is tearing through its munitions stockpiles faster than it can refill them, top US intel chief says
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-05 | by ( Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Russia is rapidly expending its stockpiles of munitions, the top US intelligence official said. In dealing with limited precision munitions, Russia has turned to Iran and North Korea for support. Avril Haines, the director of national intelligence, told the Reagan National Defense Forum on Saturday that Russia is burning through its munitions stockpiles "quite quickly," though she did not elaborate on any precise figures. "And of course, we've indicated that their precision munitions are running out much faster. These kamikaze drones, as they have been called, are cheaper than precision munitions, making them a suitable though less destructive supplement as Russia's stockpiles run low.

☆ Blasts reported at two Russian airbases far from Ukraine, three killed
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-05 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

State-owned RIA news agency said six others were injured in the tanker explosion in Ryazan, 185 km (115 miles) southeast of Moscow. The Engels base is about 730 km (455 miles) southeast of Moscow. It is one of two strategic bomber bases housing Russia's air-delivered nuclear capability, the other being in Amur region in the Russian Far East. Ukraine has previously demonstrated the ability to strike strategic Russian targets far beyond the 1,100 km-long front line in south and eastern Ukraine. In August, at least seven Russian warplanes were destroyed by explosions at a Russian airbase on the southwest coast of Russian-annexed Crimea.

☆ Moldovagaz to buy gas from Energocom as well as from Gazprom
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-04 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Companies Gazprom PAO FollowMoldovagaz SA FollowCHISINAU, Dec 4 (Reuters) - Moldova's natural gas company Moldovagaz will start buying gas from domestic supplier Energocom while continuing to buy it from Russia's Gazprom (GAZP.MM), the head of Moldovagaz said late on Saturday. Gas supplies are an ongoing source of tension between Russia and Moldova, which lies between southern Ukraine and Romania. "Also, starting tomorrow, Moldovagaz will purchase natural gas from Energocom, according to daily nominations, in the amount of 3.5 million cubic meters." It was unclear where Energocom, Moldova's state energy firm, was purchasing the gas. In September, Energocom registered as a natural gas trader in Romania to smooth gas imports, according to the company's website.

☆ Russia's more gradual economic contraction to extend into 2023
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-02 | by ( Alexander Marrow | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

After initially dire predictions of a double-digit GDP slump, analysts and officials have gradually been improving forecasts as the Russian economy demonstrates better-than-anticipated resilience. But the decline will continue at a similar pace in 2023, with analysts now forecasting a 2.5% drop. Over time, economists have acknowledged that the contraction is likely to be less sudden, but more prolonged than first expected. "We cannot rule out a deeper contraction next year when compared with 2022, it could be 5-6%." After a rate hold on Dec. 16, the bank will continue easing monetary policy in 2023, the poll suggested, with the key rate set to end next year at 6.75%.

☆ Oil embargo set to restrain Russian stocks recovery in 2023
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-29 | by ( Alexander Marrow | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

The Russian market crashed in February after Moscow sent tens of thousands of troops into Ukraine, triggering sweeping western sanctions. Risk aversion has soared but some fundamentals, such as a strong price of oil, Russia's main export, have underpinned the market. The G7, European Union and Australia, are set to implement a price cap on seaborne exports of Russian oil on Dec. 5. Oil and gas exporters have a strong weighting in Russian stock indexes. "For Russian oil producers, the 2023 outlook is closely linked to the effect from the EU oil embargo on Russian oil and oil products, and also the effect from the price ceiling," said Mikhail Shulgin, head of global research at Otkritie Investment.

☆ India's finished steel imports from Russia hit 4-year high in April-October
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-29 | by ( Neha Arora | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

NEW DELHI, Nov 29 (Reuters) - India's finished steel imports from Russia during April-October rose to their highest in at least four years, government data compiled by Reuters showed, underscoring Moscow's bid to divert shipments in the wake of Western sanctions. Russia accounted for just about 5% of India's total steel imports but was among the top five exporters. India's total steel imports between April and October stood at 3.2 million tonnes, up 14.5% from a year earlier. JSW Steel Ltd (JSTL.NS), India's largest steelmaker by capacity, said six to seven distressed Russian steel shipments arrived during the current fiscal year. Indian steelmakers have so far imported record 5-6 million tonnes of Russian coking coal in 2022/23, compared with less than 2 million tonnes last year.

[1/3] Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and his Indian counterpart Subrahmanyam Jaishankar attend a news conference following their talks in Moscow, Russia, November 8, 2022. India is keen to boost trade in this way, said the source, as it tries to narrow a ballooning trade deficit with Russia. During the Moscow visit, Jaishankar said India needed to boost exports to Russia to balance bilateral trade that is now tilted towards Russia. The list of items from Russia, which runs to nearly 14 pages, includes car engine parts like pistons, oil pumps and ignition coils. India is hoping to boost its exports to nearly $10 billion over coming months with Russia's list of requests, according to the government source.

☆ Russia, U.S. have ways to manage nuclear risks -RIA cites U.S. diplomat
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-28 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Nov 28 (Reuters) - Russia and the United States have ways to manage nuclear risks at the level of intelligence agencies, charge d'affaires of the U.S. embassy in Moscow Elizabeth Rood told Russia's state news agency, adding that for now there are no meetings scheduled. Earlier this month, CIA director William Burns met Sergei Naryshkin, head of Russian foreign intelligence, and warned him about the consequences of any Russian use of nuclear weapons, the White House said. Russia has said the issues discussed were "sensitive" and declined to comment on them. read more"The United States has channels for managing risk with the Russian Federation, particularly nuclear risks and that was the purpose of CIA director Burns' meeting with his Russian counterpart," Rood said in a video on RIA's Telegram channel. read moreReporting in Melbourne by Lidia Kelly; Editing by Himani SarkarOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Britain says Russia likely removing nuclear warheads from missiles and firing at Ukraine
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-26 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Nov 26 (Reuters) - Russia is likely removing nuclear warheads from ageing nuclear cruise missiles and firing unarmed munitions at Ukraine, Britain's military intelligence said on Saturday. Such a system will still produce damage through the missile's kinetic energy and unspent fuel. However, it is unlikely to achieve reliable effects against intended targets, the ministry added in its daily intelligence update posted on Twitter. "Whatever Russia's intent, this improvisation highlights the level of depletion in Russia's stock of long range missiles", the ministry said. Reporting by Akanksha Khushi in Bengaluru; Editing by Kim CoghillOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Russia is likely removing nuclear warheads from cruise missiles and firing them into Ukraine, the UK says
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-26 | by ( Alia Shoaib | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Russia is likely firing cruise missiles with nuclear warheads removed into Ukraine, UK's defense ministry said. The defense ministry said that open source imagery appeared to show an AS-15 KENT air-launched cruise missile that had been shot down in Ukraine. Russian warship launching a cruise missile. US officials previously said that Russia is likely struggling to replenish its stockpiles due to sanctions and supply chain disruptions, the Associated Press reported. Russia has not provided any information about its missile supplies, and there is no data to assess it independently.

☆ Putin's supporters call for the liquidation of Ukraine as 'genocidal rhetoric' swells
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-25 | by ( Holly Ellyatt | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

Alexander Nemenov | Afp | Getty ImagesProminent supporters of Russian President Vladimir Putin are using increasingly "genocidal rhetoric" when discussing and demonizing Ukrainians, analysts note, with some pro-war commentators cheering the concept of the "liquidation" of the modern state of Ukraine. "To be a 'Ukrainian' one does not even have to speak the Ukrainian language (which is also still being formed). "All this can be stopped only through the liquidation of Ukrainian statehood in its current form," Medvedev said. Another popular motif being used by pro-war, pro-Putin bloggers is characterizing Ukraine and Ukrainians as "evil" or "sadists" or "Satanists." "As ISW has previously reported, Russian President Vladimir Putin has similarly employed such genocidal language in a way that is fundamentally incompatible with calls for negotiations."

☆ Ukraine is attempting to retake a crucial spit of land that could disrupt Russia's missile barrages
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-24 | by ( Sinéad Baker | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

The Kinburn Spit has been a site for Russian missile launches, and offers control of Ukraine's main river. But if Ukraine were to retake the Kinburn Spit, it would get a significant new advantage. A map showing where the Kinburn Spit is in relation to the Black Sea and the city of Kherson. Google Maps/InsiderUkraine regaining the peninsula would "relieve" those areas from Russia's strikes by putting them out of range, it said. Whoever gets the peninsula also gains significant control over the entrance to the Dnipro, Ukraine's most significant waterway, the ISW noted.

☆ Russia is on the verge of passing an expanded version of its notorious anti-LGBTQ bill that bans promotion of 'non-traditional sexual relations'
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-24 | by ( Tim Levin | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

The revised bill bans spreading "propaganda of non-traditional sexual relations" to people of any age. The bill prohibiting the promotion of "non-traditional sexual relations" builds upon a notorious law passed in 2013, which took aim at "propaganda" spread to minors. Under the new law passed by the State Duma, films, and advertisements depicting same-sex relationships could be banned. Russian citizens found to have spread propaganda about "non-traditional sexual relations" could face a fine of up to 400,000 rubles, or $6,600 at current exchange rates. Human-rights organizations have condemned Russia for the so-called "gay propaganda" law since its introduction.

☆ Putin touts Russia's 'Arctic power' with launch of nuclear icebreakers
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-22 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

ST PETERSBURG, Russia, Nov 22 (Reuters) - President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday touted Russia's Arctic power at a flag-raising ceremony and dock launch for two nuclear-powered icebreakers that will ensure year-round navigation in the Western Arctic. Presiding via video link from the Kremlin at the launch ceremony in the former imperial capital of St Petersburg in northern Russia, Putin said such icebreakers were of strategic importance for the country. "Both icebreakers were laid down as part of a large serial project and are part of our large-scale, systematic work to re-equip and replenish the domestic icebreaker fleet, to strengthen Russia's status as a great Arctic power," Putin said. The Arctic is taking on greater strategic significance due to climate change, as a shrinking ice cap opens up new sea lanes. Vast oil and gas resources lie in Russia's Arctic regions, including a liquefied natural gas plant on the Yamal Peninsula.

☆ Ukraine promises shelters for its people as harsh winter looms
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-22 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

[1/8] People wait in line to get food, water and aid after Russia's military retreat from Kherson, outside the Church of Christ the Savior in Kherson, Ukraine November 22, 2022. Russian attacks have knocked out power for long periods for up to 10 million consumers at a time. The Donetsk region was the scene of fierce attacks and constant shelling over the last 24 hours, Zelenskiy said on Tuesday. Moscow says it is carrying out a "special military operation" to rid Ukraine of nationalists and protect Russian-speaking communities. Ukraine and the West describe Russia's actions as an unprovoked, imperialist land grab in the neighbouring state it once dominated within the former Soviet Union.

☆ Top Russian official warns of possible nuclear accident at Zaporizhzhia
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-21 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

LONDON, Nov 21 (Reuters) - The head of Russia's state-run atomic energy agency, Rosatom, warned on Monday there was a risk of a nuclear accident at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, Europe's largest, following renewed shelling over the weekend. "The plant is at risk of a nuclear accident. We were in negotiations with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) all night," Interfax quoted Rosatom CEO Alexei Likhachev as saying. The Rosatom head also said it appeared Kyiv was willing to "accept" a "small nuclear accident" at the nuclear power station"This will be a precedent that will forever change the course of history. Therefore everything must be done so that no one has in their minds to violate the security of the nuclear power plant," TASS quoted him as saying.

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