DIRS.INFO The most relevant business & tech news

☆ Ukraine war live updates: Moscow unrepentant after suspending nuclear arms treaty with U.S., with officials saying it was 'overdue'
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-22 | by ( Holly Ellyatt | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Medvedev repeated a Russian claim that the U.S. "wants the defeat of Russia" and that the world is on the brink of a new global conflict. "If the United States wants to defeat Russia, then we have the right to defend ourselves with any weapon, including nuclear," Medvedev said. We, in addition, have accumulated experience in tracking what is happening in the United States, and not only in the United States, in this area, using other possibilities. The New Start treaty allowed for mutual inspections of each other's nuclear weapons sites, although in practice, these have been suspended since the Covid-19 pandemic and have not resumed since the war in Ukraine began. Russia has also said it wants to see Britain and France's nuclear arsenals counted in any future Start treaty.

☆ Russia's parliament prepares to approve suspension of New START
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-22 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Feb 22 (Reuters) - Russian officials on Wednesday blamed the United States and the West for President Vladimir Putin's decision to suspend Moscow's participation in the New START treaty, as Russia's parliament was set to rubber-stamp the move. "This decision was forced on us by the war declared by the United States and other NATO countries on our country. It will have a huge resonance in the world overall and in the United States in particular," Medvedev said in a post on the Telegram messaging app. Russia's parliament is expected to rubber-stamp the move to suspend the treaty, possibly as early as Wednesday. The head of Russia's Duma, the lower house of parliament, also blamed the United States for the breakdown.

☆ Ex-Russian commander who helped invade Crimea trashes Putin's war speech for leaving out all of Russia's failures in Ukraine
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-21 | by ( Natalie Musumeci | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Igor Girkin noted on Telegram that Putin never mentioned Russia's "failures" in its war with Ukraine. Blah blah blah," Girkin said in a post. Blah blah blah, there's no point in listening any more." US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Tuesday deemed Russia's war with Ukraine a "strategic failure." "One year after President Putin attacked Ukraine, it's clear that his war has been a strategic failure in every way," Blinken told reporters in Athens, Greece.

☆ Hackers claim to have caused Russian websites broadcasting Vladimir Putin's annual address to go offline
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-21 | by ( Joshua Zitser | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Online broadcasts of Vladimir Putin's annual speech were interrupted on Tuesday. A pro-Ukraine hacking group has claimed responsibility for a DDoS cyberattack. Russia's state-run RIA Novosti news agency, meanwhile, said disruptions to the broadcast were the result of a Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attack. Though it is not clear who or what was behind the outages, at least one pro-Ukraine hacking group has claimed responsibility. Newsweek reported that another hacking group claiming to work on behalf of Russian opposition activist Alexey Navalny also claimed responsibility, saying it caused the disruption along with "other hackers."

☆ Leaked Russian document shows how Putin plans to annex ally Belarus by 2030
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-21 | by ( Sinéad Baker | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Russia plans to take over its neighbor Belarus, according to a leaked document from Putin's office. The plan is to create a "union state" led by Russia by 2030, the document says. The internal strategy document lays out how Russia plans to get rid of what remains of Belarus' independence over a years-long plan. This would involve gradually creating stronger pro-Russia sentiment, expanding Russia's military presence there, and making it easier for citizens to get Russian passports. The ultimate goal is to create a common "union state" that is under Russian leadership, it said.

☆ China's top diplomat says Russia ties 'rock solid'
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-21 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Summary China's top diplomat in MoscowPutin ally: we stick together versus the WestXi could visit Moscow soon - WSJMOSCOW, Feb 21 (Reuters) - China's top diplomat told one of President Vladimir Putin's closest allies on Tuesday that Beijing's relationship with Moscow was "rock solid" and would withstand any test in a changing international situation. At a meeting in Moscow, Wang Yi told Nikolai Patrushev, secretary of Russia's powerful Security Council, that he looked forward to discussions about security. "Chinese-Russian relations are mature in character: they are rock solid and will withstand any test in a changing international situation," Wang told "Comrade" Patrushev through a Russian interpreter in remarks aired on state television. Wang said Russia and China should work out new joint steps to ensure the security of both countries, without elaborating. The United States casts China and Russia as the two biggest nation-state threats to its security.

☆ Belarus to form 100,000-150,000 strong volunteer military force
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-21 | by ( Lidia Kelly | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

I have said more than once: every man - and not only a man - should be able to at least handle weapons," Lukashenko said at the meeting of his Security Council. Lukashenko, who allowed Russia to use Belarus to send troops into Ukraine a year ago, has often said his army would fight only if Belarus was attacked. "In case of an act of aggression, the response will be fast, harsh and appropriate," Lukashenko said on Monday. Defence Minister Viktor Khrenin said the territorial defence force will have 100,000-150,000 volunteers, or more if needed. The country's professional army has about 48,000 troops and some 12,000 state border troops, according to the 2022 International Institute for Strategic Studies' Military Balance.

☆ Russian state TV website goes down during Putin speech
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-21 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

MOSCOW, Feb 21 (Reuters) - Russian state media websites broadcasting President Vladimir Putin's address to the country's two houses of parliaments on Tuesday suffered an outage during his speech. Reuters journalists in multiple locations were unable to access the All-Russia State Television and Radio Broadcasting Company (VGTRK) website or the Smotrim live-streaming platform for periods during the speech. A message on the VGTRK website said that "technical works were being carried out" while the Smotrim website was not loading. Shortly before the speech started, state TV channels had broadcast a segment on the technical preparations that go into broadcasting the speech, saying the live stream would be carried across all major Russian TV channels. The state-run RIA Novosti news agency said the outage was the result of a distributed denial of service (DDoS) attack.

☆ The White House gave Russia 'hours' notice that Joe Biden was making a surprise trip to Ukraine
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-20 | by ( Brian Evans | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

President Joe Biden warned Russia before departing for Ukraine on Monday, the White House said. National security advisor Jake Sullivan said Moscow was given "hours" notice before the surprise visit. Biden's unannounced trip comes just before the one-year anniversary of Russia's unprovoked invasion of Ukraine. Biden's visit with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was otherwise announced and came as a surprise to media outlets as well as onlookers. The US president's trip comes just days ahead of the one-year anniversary of Russian President Vladimir Putin's unprovoked invasion of Ukraine.

☆ Biden’s test: Sustaining unity as Ukraine war enters second year
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-19 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +9 min

One year ago, President Joe Biden was bracing for the worst as Russia massed troops in preparation to invade Ukraine. Ukraine's president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, was offered help getting out of his country if he wanted it. Now, as Biden prepares to travel to Poland to mark the anniversary of the war, he faces a legacy-defining moment. In Poland, Biden is set to meet with allies to reassure them of the U.S. commitment to the region and to helping Ukraine "as long as it takes." From the beginning of his administration, Biden has argued the world is at a crucial moment pitting autocracies against democracies.

☆ China to reveal a peace plan for Ukraine as one-year anniversary of Russian invasion nears
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-19 | by ( Isobel Van Hagen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

China announced plans for a peace proposal for the war in Ukraine at the Munich Security Conference. Wang said that China would reveal a solution for peace in the region — which highlights the importance of "the sovereignty of all countries" — on the one-year anniversary of Russia's invasion of Ukraine on February 24. Jens Stoltenberg, NATO's secretary general, called China's peace plan "quite vague." Annalena Baerbock, the German foreign minister, also welcomed China's plan. "As a permanent member of the UN security council, China has an obligation to use its influence to secure world peace," she said.

☆ How Putin's Russian goon squad used Mexican gig workers to troll an American election
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-18 | by ( Mattathias Schwartz | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +25 min

Posting to social media sounded like an easy work-from-home gig, so he applied. This post from the Prigozhin-backed Social CMS network in Mexico referred to America as "we." He verified his account by providing chat transcripts, screenshots, contracts, and internal company documents. But just because Social CMS didn't yield an immediate, large-scale impact doesn't mean it should be ignored. "I didn't know who are you," wrote the person who is listed in the corporate directory as Prigozhin's media liaison.

☆ Sunak, Harris discuss Ukraine, call the conflict 'a global war'
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-18 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

LONDON, Feb 18 (Reuters) - British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris condemned the countries which have supported Russian President Vladimir Putin's efforts in Ukraine, Sunak's office said, describing the war as a "global war". "The Prime Minister and Vice President Harris condemned those countries who have supported Putin’s efforts politically and militarily," his office said in a statement after their meeting at the Munich Security Conference on Saturday. "They agreed that Putin’s war in Ukraine is a global war, both in terms of its impact on food and energy security and in terms of its implications for internationally accepted norms like sovereignty," the statement added. Reporting by Muvija M; editing by Jason NeelyOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

[1/2] Director Sean Penn attends a photo call on the red carpet to promote the documentary 'Superpower' at the 73rd Berlinale International Film Festival in Berlin, Germany, February 17, 2023. REUTERS/Nadja WohllebenBERLIN, Feb 17 (Reuters) - Late in the evening of Feb. 24, 2022, just some 15 hours after Russia triggered its invasion of his country, Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskiy found time to receive American actor Sean Penn. Sitting in a bare, apparently windowless room, Zelenskiy speculated on Vladimir Putin's motives for the invasion. In fighting against the Russian invasion, Ukraine is "fighting a fight on all of our behalf," Penn told the audience at the premiere. "You're Sean Penn.

☆ European natural gas prices hit 18-month low and near parity with crude oil as Vladimir Putin's energy war fizzles
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-17 | by ( Filip De Mott | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Alternative suppliers and a warm winter have brought European gas prices below 50 euros per megawatt hour. Natural gas prices are now equivalent to $85 per barrel, nearly on par with Brent crude oil at around $83. At the current level, natural gas prices are equivalent to $85 per barrel, nearly on par with Brent crude oil at around $83. In November, Germany signed a 15-year contract with Qatar, a major liquefied natural gas exporter. But further downside to gas prices may be limited as demand looks to pick up.

☆ Western official: Putin's future in power has become less certain
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-16 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

LONDON, Feb 16 (Reuters) - Russian President Vladimir Putin's future in power has become less certain in the aftermath of the country's invasion of Ukraine, a Western official said on Thursday, but it isn't possible to predict when any changes in the Kremlin may occur. But he remains secure in power, according to five senior Russian sources. But what there isn't, in a place like Russia, is a clear pathway to change," the Western official told reporters, on condition of anonymity. The official said that it was hard to see Putin losing Russia's presidential elections, due in 2024, if he stood. "I think it's much less certain now, but I'm not saying that any change is about to happen imminently," the official added, saying the timing of any change was "impossible to predict".

☆ Several of Putin's homes have been connected to railway lines with secret stations built nearby for his armored train: report
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-15 | by ( Joshua Zitser | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Putin's main residences have been connected to a secret railway line, Proekt reported. Putin has been regularly using an armored train to travel between his homes, according to reports. The engineer also claimed to have seen Putin's special train traveling on the route on at least one occasion, per Proekt. Trainspotters have previously reported sightings of what is believed to be Putin's secret train in motion, according to images shared on a Russian train travel message board. Details of the supposed secret railway line and stations follows a report by the Dossier Center, a group that tracks the activity of Kremlin associates, which said Putin has been using a special armored train to travel between his homes since 2021.

☆ Analysis: Gazprom's export revenue may fall by 50% in 2023
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-14 | by ( Oksana Kobzeva | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

If the trend continues, Gazprom's export revenues for the whole year could be halved compared to 2022 when its export volumes also declined by nearly half. LOWER REVENUESIn 2022, Gazprom's export volumes fell by 46%, according to the company. Gazprom has not provided forecasts for gas exports for this year. Gazprom's exports outside ex-Soviet Union fell by more than 45% to 100.9 bcm in 2022 from 185.1 bcm in 2021. The Economy Ministry forecasts Gazprom's export price for 2023 at $700 per 1,000 cubic metres.

☆ Putin's war on Ukraine sent Russians scrambling to buy gold and stash their savings, fueling a fivefold surge in demand
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-14 | by ( Zinya Salfiti | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Demand for gold bars and coins in Russia jumped nearly fivefold last year from 2021. Russia has spurred the switch into gold by restricting sales of foreign currency and scrapping VAT on the yellow metal. The bullion rush was spurred by President Vladimir Putin's move to remove the 20% VAT on gold bars, as well as a central bank decision to restrict foreign-currency transactions. Russian demand for gold bars and coins rose nearly fivefold in 2022 from the previous year, data from the World Gold Council show. But Russia isn't the biggest gold buyer as its demand made up only 2% of the global total last year, World Gold Council data show.

☆ NATO boss: more important Sweden, Finland join soon than together
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-14 | by ( Andrew Gray | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Western officials have said they would prefer both countries to join NATO together, partly because it would be easier to integrate them at the same time into military structures. "The main question is not whether Finland and Sweden are ratified together. The main question is that they are both ratified as full members as soon as possible," he told reporters. "I'm confident that both will be full members and I'm working hard to get both ratified as soon as possible." Stoltenberg said Sweden and Finland had already come much closer to NATO in recent months and noted that all alliance members had approved the invitations to join.

☆ Moscow's decades-old gas ties with Europe lie in ruins
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-14 | by ( Vladimir Soldatkin | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +10 min

Washington has long criticised Germany's policy of reliance on Russian energy, which until last year, Berlin had said was a means to improve relations. In October, he mooted an idea of a gas hub in Turkey to divert the Russian gas flows from the Baltic Sea and North-West Europe. The 20-year supply deal is worth about $30 billion in current gas prices. In Europe, gas prices hit record levels and international oil prices shortly after the special military operation began spiked close to their all-time high. Domestic gas prices are regulated by the government and there have been discussions about liberalising the gas market, a sensitive issue for Russian households.

☆ U.S. and NATO see Ukraine in urgent need of more arms
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-14 | by ( Sabine Siebold | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/10] NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, U.S. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark A. Milley, U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin and Ukraine's Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov attend a NATO defence ministers meeting at the Alliance's headquarters in Brussels, Belgium, February 14, 2023. "Ukraine has urgent requirements to help it meet this crucial moment in the course of the war," U.S. Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin said at a meeting of the so-called Ramstein group of allies of Ukraine. When it comes to artillery, we need ammunition, we need spare parts, we need maintenance, we need all the logistics to ensure that we are able to sustain these weapons systems." NATO defence ministers were also to discuss adapting a target for members to spend 2% of gross domestic product (GDP) on defence. Some nations see this as too low, given the Ukraine war, while others such as Germany are still far below the 2%.

☆ White House mocks Putin's mismanagement of the war in Ukraine, saying he changes generals like 'socks'
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-13 | by ( John Haltiwanger | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

The White House mocked Putin's handling of the Ukraine war on Monday. NSC spokesperson John Kirby said Putin changes generals like "I change socks." "It's kind of like a reality TV show," Colin H. Kahl, the under secretary of defense for policy, said to reporters last month while speaking on the shuffle among Russian generals in Ukraine. Russia has begun a new spring offensive in eastern Ukraine, NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg said, but Kyiv's forces have been bracing for this fight. NATO countries have provided Ukraine with billions in military aid, including vital weapons, since the war began.

☆ Russian soldier describes turning on his country to fight for Ukraine, driven by disgust at Putin's invasion: 'I've killed a lot of them'
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-13 | by ( Mia Jankowicz | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

A Russian soldier fighting to defend Ukraine says he's killed many of his own countrymen in the war. The New York Times gained access to the little-known Free Russia Legion in Ukraine. The units have been kept under wraps due to the sensitivity of their role, the newspaper said. I do my job and I've killed a lot of them," he told the Times. They aren't Russian," he told the newspaper.

☆ 'Not so rosy': Russian athletes face prospect of Olympics ban
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-10 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/3] Olympic Rings are pictured in front of The Olympic House, headquarters of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) at the opening of the executive board meeting of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), in Lausanne, Switzerland September 8, 2022. Since the International Olympic Committee (IOC) opened the door for Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete as neutrals at the 2024 Paris Games, calls to have them excluded have snowballed. At an indoor track in northeastern Moscow on Friday, hurdler Sergey Shubenkov said he was avoiding reading the news about Russia's Olympic prospects. The measure was taken as part of wider sanctions against the Russian athletics federation, which has been suspended since 2015 over doping offences. "I think those who don't support (Russia's special military operation in Ukraine) have already left.

Search resuls for: "Vladimir Putin's"

25 mentions found