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After explosions - whose cause is under investigation - damaged the Nord Stream Russian gas pipeline system to Europe under the Baltic Sea, Putin in October proposed setting up a gas hub in Turkey, building on a southern route for exports. "Does Europe need the project, given the determination of the EU countries to forego Russian gas in the nearest future?" A source in Russia's pipeline gas exporting monopoly Gazprom (GAZP.MM) said be believed the hub would facilitate sales. "That will not be Russian gas, but gas from the hub," said the source, who did not want to be named due to the sensitivity of the matter. Neither Gazprom, nor the Kremlin provided a cost estimate for the Turkish hub idea.

☆ Exclusive: EU embargo diverts Lukoil's Caspian oil to CPC link
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-30 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

A European Union embargo from Dec. 5 is set to ban European buyers from purchasing and transporting Russian oil. As a major route for Kazakhstan's oil, CPC oil exports are excluded from the ban. "Russian oil is leaving BTC, the reason is sanctions, BTC doesn't let Russian oil in," - one of the sources said. CPC Blend exported via the CPC pipeline currently trades at a significant discount to Azeri BTC oil, which is supplied via BTC. The main exporters of the Azeri BTC oil are Azerbaijan's SOCAR and BP, as well as Hungarian company MOL, Exxon (XOM.N) and Turkey's TPAO.

☆ Azerbaijan cancels Armenia talks, says Macron cannot take part
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-25 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Aliyev said Macron had "attacked" and "insulted" Baku and should not act as a go-between. Each side accused the other of triggering the latest bout of fighting, in which Armenia said Azerbaijan had seized settlements inside its borders. "Macron ... attacked Azerbaijan and accused us in what we haven't done," Aliyev said, speaking in English at a conference with international representatives in Baku. "It is clear that under these circumstances, with this attitude, France cannot be part of the peace process between Azerbaijan and Armenia." A spokesperson said Azerbaijan's assertion that Yerevan was trying to disrupt peace talks "has nothing to do with reality," the Interfax news agency reported.

☆ Putin was repeatedly snubbed at an international summit of countries meant to be Russia's friends
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-24 | by ( Sinéad Baker | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Putin's meeting with the CSTO security alliance went south when an ally repeatedly snubbed him. Vladimir Putin met with leaders from the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), a Russian-dominated alliance of post-Soviet nations. CSTO leaders in Yerevan, Armenia on November 23, 2022. Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and Russian President Vladimir Putin shake hands as they attend the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) summit in Yerevan, Armenia, November 23, 2022. Putin also did not go to the G20 earlier this month and he did not address it virtually.

☆ A jet built by China and Pakistan may soon be the most widely operated combat aircraft in the world
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-24 | by ( Benjamin Brimelow | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

China and Pakistan jointly developed the JF-17 combat jet, which first entered service in 2007. At the same time, China was showcasing the JF-17 at the annual China International Aviation and Aerospace Exhibition in Zuhai, China. The events were the latest attempts by China and Pakistan to market their jointly developed fourth-generation fighter jet to international customers. JF-17 ThunderA Pakistan Air Force JF-17 takes off at a base in northern Pakistan in June 2013. The single-seat, single-engine jet is known in Pakistan as the JF-17 Thunder and as the FC-1 Xiaolong in China.

Fighting flared in September between Armenia and Azerbaijan, and the two sides said more than 200 soldiers had been killed. "It is depressing that Armenia's membership in the CSTO did not deter Azerbaijan from aggressive actions," Pashinyan told the meeting in the Armenian capital, Yerevan. "Right up to today we have not managed to reach a decision on a CSTO response to Azerbaijan’s aggression against Armenia. In his own remarks, Putin acknowledged some unspecified "problems" facing the CSTO, and said more effort was needed to bring about peace between Azerbaijan and Armenia. Azerbaijan enjoys backing from Turkey and is not a member of the CSTO, which comprises Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan as well as Russia and Armenia.

☆ Analysis: Shocked by Ukraine war, Russian neighbour Kazakhstan looks west
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-17 | by ( Olzhas Auyezov | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +8 min

Out of total exports of 68 million tonnes a year, 53 million tonnes of Kazakh oil move through it. The chief executive of Khazakhstan's state oil firm KazMunayGaz said this week that the target of 20 million tonnes was a "medium-term" aim. But getting Kazakh oil to Baku requires either tanker shipments across the sea or the construction of a trans-Caspian pipeline. Smailov said last week that Kazakhstan would start by sending an additional 1.5 million tonnes a year via BTC starting from 2023, gradually rising to 6-6.5 million tonnes. Kazakhstan's Aktau port, the only one equipped to load oil tankers, can handle up to 5.5 million tonnes.

☆ Factbox: What is the S-300 missile that is reported to have hit Poland?
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-16 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Nov 16 (Reuters) - Poland has said the missile that hit a grain facility on Tuesday, killing two people near the border with Ukraine, was probably an "old" S-300 rocket, a Soviet-era missile system being used by both Russia and Ukraine. * S-300 missiles are intended to shoot down aircraft, drones and incoming cruise and ballistic missiles. WHO USES THE S-300 MISSILE? * Moscow has previously sold S-300 missiles to Venezuela, China, Iran and Egypt, among other countries. * According to Russian military media outlets, the S-300 missile system was first used in conflict during the 2020 war between Azerbaijan and Armenia over Nagorno-Karabakh.

☆ U.S. targets supply of Iranian drones to Russia in new sanctions
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-15 | by ( Daphne Psaledakis | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

The United States is seeking to increase pressure on Moscow over its invasion of Ukraine, which has reduced cities to rubble and killed or wounded thousands. Russia has procured drones from Iran that have been used to attack cities and power infrastructure in Ukraine. Iranian military entities and industries are already under heavy U.S. sanctions over Tehran's nuclear development program. Iran has acknowledged that it had supplied Moscow with drones but said they were sent before the war in Ukraine. Treasury also targeted Abbas Djuma and Tigran Khristoforovich Srabionov, accusing the two of being involved in the Wagner group's acquisition of Iranian drones to support combat operations in Ukraine.

☆ Turkey blames Istanbul blast on Kurdish militants, arrests 22, including bomber
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-14 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/5] Police members transport the body of an unidentified person after an explosion on busy pedestrian Istiklal street in Istanbul, Turkey, November 13, 2022. "We have evaluated that the instruction for the attack came from Kobani," Soylu said, adding that bomber had passed through Afrin, another region in northern Syria. Hundreds of people fled the historic Istiklal Avenue after the blast on Sunday, as ambulances and police raced in. Turkey has carried out three incursions in northern Syria against the YPG, with the latest in 2019, seizing hundreds of kilometres of land. Condemnations of the attack and condolences for the victims poured in from several countries including Azerbaijan, Britain, Egypt, Greece, Italy, Pakistan and Ukraine.

☆ Six dead, at least 81 injured in Istanbul blast and Turkish President Erdogan says it 'smells like terrorism'
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-13 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

View of ambulances at the scene after an explosion on busy pedestrian Istiklal street in Istanbul, Turkey, November 13, 2022. Six people were killed and 81 others wounded on Sunday when an explosion rocked a busy pedestrian street in central Istanbul in what Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan called a bomb attack that "smells like terrorism." Some four hours after the blast, Vice President Fuat Oktay and Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu visited the site of the explosion. "We will resolve this matter very soon," Oktay told reporters. Vice President Oktay said, "We are evaluating it as an act of terror".

☆ Turkey's Baykar to complete plant in Ukraine in two years -CEO
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-28 | by ( Can Sezer | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

ISTANBUL, Oct 28 (Reuters) - Turkish defence company Baykar is planning to complete the construction of its manufacturing plant in Ukraine in two years, its chief executive said on Thursday, after the company became highly renowned for their drones' success in thwarting Russian forces. The aerial drones supplied to Ukraine by Baykar were instrumental in Ukraine's defense against Russian armour and anti-aircraft systems in the first few weeks of the Russian invasion. Its Bayraktar TB2 drone gained so much prominence with the public that Ukrainians composed a song about it and some allies launched unprecedented crowdfunded campaigns to buy more. As part of an agreement between Turkey and Ukraine, signed just before Russia's Feb. 24 invasion, Baykar had agreed to build its second manufacturing plant in Ukraine. CEO Haluk Bayraktar told Reuters on Thursday that plans were moving ahead despite some obstacles created by Russia's invasion.

☆ India's Russian oil binge sends Middle East imports to 19-mth low -trade
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-27 | by ( Nidhi Verma | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

India's imports from the Middle East fell to about 2.2 million bpd, down 16.2% from August, the data showed, while imports from Russia increased 4.6% to about 896,000 bpd after dipping in the previous two months. Russia's share of India's oil imports surged to an all-time high of 23% from 19% the previous month while that of the Middle East declined to 56.4% from 59%, the data showed. India's oil imports from various regionsIndia has emerged as Russia's second biggest oil buyer after China, taking advantage of discounted prices as some Western entities shun purchases over Moscow's invasion of Ukraine. However, supply from the Middle East rose from a low base last year when the second wave of the coronavirus cut fuel demand. India's oil imports from various regionsIndia's oil importsReporting by Nidhi Verma; editing by Jason NeelyOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ 2 intensifying border wars show Putin is losing sway in his neighborhood while Russia struggles in Ukraine
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-24 | by ( Michael Peck | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

In recent weeks, border disputes in the Caucasus and Central Asia have escalated into clashes. And the Russian troops that once kept the peace between those feuding neighbors? Kremlin Press Office/Handout/Anadolu Agency via Getty ImagesRussia's complicated history with Central Asia goes back centuries. Russian leaders, including Vladimir Putin, inherited this colonialist mindset, seeing Central Asia (and Ukraine) as part of the Russia sphere. KAREN MINASYAN/AFP via Getty ImagesTo some extent, the deployment of Russian troops, or threat to do so, has tamped down conflicts.

Under the law, which took effect this week, companies must share with authorities users' information if they post content constituting crimes, including misleading information. Social media companies are required to appoint Turkish representatives. The law has mainly been criticised for imposing jailtime on social media users and journalists spreading "disinformation", but it also builds on legislation imposed on social media companies in 2020, with much tougher measures. "I think (the law) is like a wish list - they put whatever they can think of in there," Akdeniz said. "There is an attempt to regulate social media platforms that could be a model law for authoritarian regimes."

☆ Turkey's Erdogan to meet Swedish PM Kristersson to discuss extraditions, NATO bid
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-21 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Sputnik/Vyacheslav Prokofyev/Pool via REUTERSISTANBUL, Oct 21 (Reuters) - Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan has said he will meet Sweden's new prime minister, Ulf Kristersson, to discuss Stockholm's bid to join NATO as well as the extradition of people Ankara considers terrorists. Sweden and fellow Nordic country Finland launched their bids to join NATO in May in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine, but they ran into objections from Turkey. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterErdogan said Kristersson, who took office on Monday, sided with the fight againt terrorism, Turkish broadcaster NTV reported. Erdogan has said Turkey's parliament would not approve the Nordic countries' NATO bids if they do not extradite the people Ankara has requested. Sweden has taken "concrete action" to address Turkey's concerns over its NATO membership bid, Stockholm told Ankara in a letter dated Oct. 6 and seen by Reuters.

☆ Retired military officials are finding high-paying jobs with the Saudi government and can make up up to 7-figure salaries working for other foreign governments: WaPo
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-19 | by ( Lloyd Lee | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Hundreds of retired military officials took jobs in foreign governments since 2015, per WaPo report. Still, dozens of military personnel have accepted jobs contracted from Saudi Arabia since Khashoggi's killing. In an interview with The Post, Jones said that he was encouraged by the Trump administration to accept more contracts from the country's Defense Ministry. Eight are retired generals and admirals, and 32 are former lower-ranking military personnel, The Post reported. The Post also reported that some people negotiated jobs with foreign governments during active service.

Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com Register"For the moment, Putin is hanging in there," said Anthony Brenton, a former British ambassador to Russia. In power since 1999, Putin has weathered numerous domestic crises and wars, and more than once faced down large street protests before effectively outlawing any real opposition. The Kremlin says Putin is backed by an overwhelming majority of Russians and won a landslide re-election victory in 2018. said Weiss, who has had various policy roles on the U.S. National Security Council and has written a book about Putin. A senior European official said Putin would have to demonstratively lose the war to be unseated.

☆ Putin forced to endure a 7-minute-long rant from close ally who rebuked the Russian leader and demanded he shows respect
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-15 | by ( Bethany Dawson | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

The President of Tajikistan, a firm ally of Russia, appeared to berate Putin at an international summit. 'We do not need anything; just to be respected," Rahmon said. According to the New Voice of Ukraine, Rahmon also told Putin not to treat central Asian countries "as the former Soviet Union." The incident follows surprising public criticism from India's leader, another ally of Putin, of Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Speaking at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit in September, India's Prime Minister Modi told Putin that "now is not the time for war."

☆ Ex-ambassador says the US and its allies need to bring Hungary's authoritarian leader 'to his senses' as he and Turkey's Erdogan hold NATO's expansion hostage
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-13 | by ( Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

Hungary and Turkey are the only two states that haven't approved adding Finland and Sweden to NATO. One ex-diplomat told Insider the US and its allies need to bring Orbán "to his senses." Hungary and Turkey, however, have yet to sign off on adding new members to the alliance and are instead purposefully holding up proceedings. Both leaders have tried to leverage their own strategic interests in exchange for approving what would be a major expansion of the NATO alliance, interests like security guarantees or pleasing other heads of state. The two Nordic countries would provide the NATO alliance with a significant boost to its overall military capabilities across all domains — air, land, sea, and with intelligence.

☆ Russians fleeing Putin's call-up sail to S.Korea, most denied entry
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-12 | by ( Hyonhee Shin | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

SEOUL, Oct 12 (Reuters) - Desperate to avoid military call-up to fight in Ukraine, more than 20 Russians have sailed in yachts down the North Pacific coast to South Korea, but most were refused entry, a South Korean lawmaker said on Wednesday. Arriving aboard four yachts, 23 Russians have reached South Korea since late September, but authorities have granted entry to only two, lawmaker An Ho-young said, citing coast guard data. Two yachts left from the South Korean island of Ulleung and southeastern port of Pohang on Tuesday with 15 Russians aboard, An said. Two other yachts remained in Pohang, and one of them - left with just two Russians aboard after two gained entry - intended making the long voyage to Thailand, the lawmaker added. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterReporting by Hyonhee Shin; Editing by Simon Cameron-MooreOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Turkish energy minister: Putin proposal for gas hub in Turkey should be discussed
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-12 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Speaking at the Russia Energy Week conference in Moscow, both Putin and Gazprom (GAZP.MM) head Alexei Miller suggested creating a gas hub in Turkey. "It is the first time we heard of the issue of supplying Europe through alternate routes, mentioned by President Putin in his speech. "These kinds of international projects need feasibility assessments... commercial aspects need to be discussed. Ankara's relations with Russia are complex, with the two countries cooperating closely on energy supplies while being at odds over Syria, Libya and Azerbaijan. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterReporting by Reuters; editing by Guy Faulconbridge and Emelia Sithole-MatariseOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ France accuses Russia of stoking Armenia, Azerbaijan conflict
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-12 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

PARIS, Oct 12 (Reuters) - France's President Emmanuel Macron accused Russia on Wednesday of purposefully provoking the recent clashes between Armenia and Azerbaijan as part of an effort destabilise the Caucasus region and beyond. The worst fighting between the two ex-Soviet countries since 2020 broke out in late September, killing more than 200 people. However, speaking to France 2 television on Wednesday Macron said Moscow had stoked tensions in recent months in favour of Azerbaijan. France, along with the United States and Russia are co-chairs of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe's (OSCE) Minsk Group that mediates over Nagorno-Karabakh. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterReporting by John Irish; Editing by Sandra MalerOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz (on screen), Economics Minister Robert Habeck and Finance Minister Christian Lindner attend a news conference about how to handle high gas prices, at the Chancellery in Berlin, September 29, 2022. Chancellor Olaf Scholz said on Tuesday that Germany could not expect energy deliveries from Russia for the foreseeable future but that the situation could be managed. "If we all continue to adapt to the changed situation - the citizens, the companies and the politicians - then we will get safely through this winter," Scholz told an engineering conference. Other European countries once dependent on Russia gas, such as Italy, have also been building up storage and sourcing supplies from other countries including Algeria and Azerbaijan. If adopted, the plan would be paid for by a 200 billion euro ($194 billion) relief package Chancellor Scholz's government announced last month to reduce the impact of energy prices.

Any hope of the Nord Stream network resuming shipments to Germany was dashed last month by suspected sabotage. Even then, it is unlikely to make up for the missing Russian gas. A risk is that as energy supplies dwindle, energy demand will not shrink enough. European industrial gas demand has fallen as high gas prices have led factories in energy-intensive sectors such as aluminium, steel and ammonia, have shut production. Europe can't afford any surprises this winter without Russian gasA more comfortable energy supply situation could be many winters away.

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