DIRS.INFO The most relevant business & tech news

The Red Square mausoleum where his embalmed corpse lies in an open sarcophagus is no longer a near-mandatory pilgrimage but a site of macabre kitsch, open only 15 hours a week. The ideology that Lenin championed and spread over a vast territory is something of a sideshow in modern Russia. “As a result of Bolshevik policy, Soviet Ukraine arose, which even today can with good reason be called ‘Vladimir Ilyich Lenin’s Ukraine.' The Mayakovsky poem that proclaimed Lenin's immortality was “a parting word, or a spell, or a curse,” Rudakov said. At the annual military parade through Red Square, the structure is blocked from view by a tribune where dignitaries watch the festivities.

Persons: soothed, “ Lenin, Lenin, Vladimir Lenin, Vladimir Mayakovsky, Vladimir Putin's, Konstantin Morozov, Gennady Zyuganov, ”, Putin, Vladimir Ilyich Lenin’s, ” Putin, “, VTsIOM, Nadezhda Krupskaya, Lenin's, Yuri Annenkov, Josef Stalin, Leon Trotsky, Russian Orthodox Church —, Bolsheviks —, Stalin, Trotsky, Lenin ”, ’, Vladimir Rudakov, ” Rudakov, Jim Heintz Organizations: Moscow Zoo, Communist Party, Russian Academy of Sciences, AP, Union of Russian Architects, Russian Orthodox Church, Bolsheviks, Tass, The Associated Press Locations: Soviet Union, Russia, Moscow, St, Petersburg's Finland, United Russia, Ukraine, Soviet Ukraine, Vladimir Ilyich Lenin’s Ukraine, Soviet, Russian, Red, USSR, Estonia

☆ Ukraine's 'Blackjack' hackers breached 500 Russian military sites and caused chaos, says military intelligence
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-20 | by ( Rebecca Rommen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Ukrainian hacking group "Blackjack" successfully targeted Russian military sites. Over 500 Russian military sites had their data breached, said Ukraine intelligence. Advertisement"Blackjack," a Ukrainian group of hackers with alleged ties to the country's main spy agency, stole construction plans for over 500 Russian military sites, Newsweek reports. Ukraine's military intelligence agency confirmed the successful operation, the Defence Intelligence of Ukraine (GUR), on Friday. The harvested data includes detailed maps of more than 500 Russian military bases across Russian and Russian-occupied Ukraine territories.

Persons: —, Blackjack, GUR, Vladimir Putin's, Suspilne, Sinéad Baker Organizations: intel, Russian Army, Service, Newsweek, Security Service of Ukraine, Defence Intelligence, Russia's Ministry of Defence, Security and Defense Forces of Ukraine, Euromaidan Press, Business Locations: Russian, Ukraine, Ukrainian, Moscow, Russia

☆ Ukraine says it flew a drone over Putin's woodland palace, evading its heavy defenses
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-19 | by ( Mia Jankowicz | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Ukraine launched a drone attack on a St Petersburg oil terminal on Thursday, per multiple sources. AdvertisementUkraine sent a drone flying over President Vladimir Putin's palace at Lake Valdai during an attack on a St Petersburg oil depot, a military source claimed on Friday. Set next to Lake Valdai, halfway between Moscow and St Petersburg, the vast woodland complex is considered one of Putin's favorite boltholes. The strike, Kamyshin said, showed that St Petersburg was now "within reach of Ukrainian forces," per the Kyiv Independent's translation. "We are able to produce something that flies and costs $350 per item, something that flew to St Petersburg this night," he said.

Persons: —, Vladimir Putin's, Oleksandr Kamyshin, couldn't, Alina Kabayeva, Vladimir Putin, Alina Kabaeva, Sasha Mordovets, Navalny.com Kamyshin, Baza, Kamyshin, Ukraine's Organizations: RBC, Service, Kyiv Independent, St, Moscow Times, Russia's Ministry of Defence, Popular, Russian Telegram, Economic, Pentagon Locations: Ukraine, St Petersburg, Valdai, Russia, Lake, Ukrainian, Moscow, Russian, Petersburg, Baltic, Leningrad, Davos, Switzerland

☆ Ending US war aid will bring a 'big crisis' worse than just a weakened Ukraine, Zelenskyy warns
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-17 | by ( Chris Panella | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Without continued Western support for Ukraine's war efforts, the consequences could be dire, according to Ukrainian President Zelenskyy, who warned of a "big crisis" not just for Ukraine but for other countries as well. Zelenskyy has been warning about that worst case scenario outcome for months, as have experts and top war watchers. The roughly $111 billion package, which includes aid to Ukraine and Israel, has been held up by Republicans since October 2023. Should US aid to Ukraine dry up, it'll be a test of how Ukraine's European allies can fill in the gaps. Ukrainian servicemen drive a T-72 tank on the frontline in eastern Ukraine on July 13, 2022, amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Persons: —, it's, Zelenskyy, Dmytro Smolienko, Joe Biden's, Biden, it'll, MIGUEL MEDINA, Vladimir Putin's, Dara, Putin, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Anna Moneymaker, Putin's maximalist, Nicholas Carlson Organizations: Service, Business, Davos, NATO, Russian Federation, Armed Forces, American, Publishing, Getty, North, Republicans, GOP, US Senators, Carnegie Endowment, International, Russian, The Institute, Washington DC Locations: Ukraine, Russia, North Korea, Russian, Donetsk Oblast, Roman, Israel, AFP, Putin — Georgia, Syria, Washington , DC, Washington, Finland

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden will convene top congressional leaders Wednesday at the White House pressing for his $110 billion national security package at a pivotal time as senators narrow on a landmark immigration deal that could unlock the stalled aid to Ukraine, Israel and other U.S. allies. “I will tell the President that I’ve been seeing it consistently since the moment I was handed the gavel,” said Johnson, R-La. But the speaker leads an ambivalent House GOP majority that wants to extract its own priorities on the U.S.-Mexico border in exchange for any overseas support. The speaker has insisted any border security deal must align with the House-passed strict border security bill. “It’s an opportunity to get some really conservative border policy that we haven’t been able to get for 40 years,” he said.

Persons: Joe Biden, Mike Johnson, Johnson, I’ve, ”, Biden, Karine Jean, Pierre, Hakeem Jeffries, Chuck Schumer, Mitch McConnell, —, Biden “, ” Biden, Donald Trump, Vladimir Putin's, Antony Blinken, Jake Sullivan, Zelenskyy, “, ” Johnson, Republican Sen, James Lankford of, Alejandro Mayorkas, Lankford, McConnell, John Thune of Organizations: WASHINGTON, White, Senate, Republicans, House Democratic, Republican, U.S . National, Zelenskyy, Washington, GOP, Homeland Locations: Ukraine, Israel, U.S, Mexico, D, Ky, Congress, Russian, Davos, Washington, Russia, James Lankford of Oklahoma, John Thune of South Dakota

☆ From an Arctic Prison, Navalny Says Putin's Russia Will One Day Crumble
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-17 | by ( Jan. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

By Guy FaulconbridgeMOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia's most famous opposition politician, Alexei Navalny, said on Wednesday that President Vladimir Putin's state would one day crumble along with the post-Soviet elite which he cast as venal, power-hungry and duplicitous. Putin's state is not viable. Navalny, who has been sentenced to stay in jail until he is 74, has repeatedly warned that Putin's Russia is a state run by "thieves and criminals" and that one day there will be seismic change via revolt. Navalny is in jail, his movement is outlawed and most of his key supporters have fled abroad. Russia denies Navalny's claims that Russia's secret police poisoned him with Novichok.

Persons: Guy Faulconbridge MOSCOW, Alexei Navalny, Vladimir Putin's, lampooning, Navalny, Putin, Navalny's, Novichok, Guy Faulconbridge, William Maclean Organizations: CPSU, Communist Party of, U.S, CIA Locations: Soviet Union, Russia, Navalny, Germany, Siberia

☆ Xi Jinping is in a battle with China's own military, and the outcome could drag the US into WWIII
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-15 | by ( Thibault Spirlet | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Xi Jinping is in a struggle with China's military, purging senior commanders to reshape it. A Chinese invasion somewhere like Taiwan could drag the US into a Third World War, one analyst said. AdvertisementXi Jinping is fighting with China's own military, seeking to purge commanders he sees as unwilling or unable to go to war, military analysts told Business Insider. Since taking power in 2012, Xi has overhauled China's military by cutting deep into its personnel, seeking to improve military-civilian cooperation, and reshaping its structure, among other reforms. A Chinese invasion in East Asia would drag Western countries into something larger, he predicted.

Persons: Xi Jinping, —, Gordon Chang, Chang, Xi, Liu Yazhou, Joel Wuthnow, Wuthnow, Biden, Vladimir, Jinping Organizations: Service, Gatestone Institute, Air Force, BI, Center, Chinese Military Affairs, National Defense University, China's, Force, PLA, Navy, NBC News, APEC, WWIII Locations: Taiwan, China, Washington , DC, India, Japan, East China, Philippines, South China, San Francisco, Ukraine, Russia, insurgencies, Africa, Gaza, Red, Persian Gulf, East Asia, Israel, United States

☆ More than 400 Ukrainian athletes have died in the war with Russia, officials say. Here are some of their tragic stories.
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-15 | by ( Nathan Rennolds | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

Sign up to get the inside scoop on today’s biggest stories in markets, tech, and business — delivered daily. This story is available exclusively to Business Insider subscribers. Talent and potential have been erased by the horrors of war affecting every sector of Ukraine's society. More than 400 of those killed were Ukrainian athletes, the head of Ukraine's National Olympic Committee said on national television in December, the Kyiv Independent reported. AdvertisementBusiness Insider has highlighted eight tragic stories shared by the committee.

Persons: —, Vladimir Putin's Organizations: Service, Business, Ukraine's National Olympic, Kyiv Independent, Sports, of Locations: Ukraine, Kyiv, of Ukraine

☆ Kevin McCarthy compared his relationship with Trump to romantic partners fighting
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-12 | by ( Madison Hall | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Read previewMonths after he was ousted as speaker of the House, ultimately leading him to say "Fuck you" to former President Donald Trump, now-retired Rep. Kevin McCarthy now compares his relationship with him to romantic partners fighting. Advertisement"There's two people I think Putin pays: Rohrabacher and Trump," McCarthy reportedly said in a leaked recording. "I fought hard to bring the conference together behind Trump," McCarthy said. Advertisement"Well, Kevin, I guess these people are more upset about the election than you are," Trump reportedly said. And while the two ultimately made amends post-Trump's presidency, Trump ultimately did very little to support McCarthy as he was set to lose his speakership at the end of 2023.

Persons: —, Donald Trump, Kevin McCarthy, McCarthy, Trump, Vladimir Putin's, Putin, Trump's, Kevin, he'd Organizations: Service, Financial, Business, Financial Times, Trump, Republican, Politico, Capitol, White

☆ Western companies have exited Russia in droves. New companies with owners from China and former Soviet republics are stepping in.
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-12 | by ( Huileng Tan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

However, the number of new companies in Russia with cofounders from former Soviet republics and China has soared in those two years, per Vedomosti. Companies with cofounders from former Soviet republics including Belarus, Kyrgyzstan, and Kazakhstan accounted for 59% of all new companies that established operations in Russia last year, per Vedomosti. AdvertisementCompanies with cofounders from China accounted for 25% — or 1,500 — of new companies in Russia over the first 10 months of 2023. AdvertisementMeanwhile, Russian businesses overseas have also been moving their assets home amid the pressures of Western sanctions and a push by President Vladimir Putin's regime. This still marks a huge decrease from 14% of new companies registered in 2021.

Persons: —, cofounders, Mikhail Nikolayev, ACRA, Vladimir Putin's Organizations: Service, Business, cofounders, Companies Locations: Russia, Moscow, Ukraine, Soviet, China, Belarus, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Turkey, India, Russian

☆ Pennsylvania, Arizona, and Texas are major beneficiaries of US aid to Ukraine, report says
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-03 | by ( Polly Thompson | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

The Biden Administration has circulated a map showing the states that have benefited from Ukraine aid. President Biden hopes to convince Congress to continue sending aid to Ukraine to help combat Russia's invasion. Three out of eight Republican members of Congress from Pennsylvania, three out of six from Arizona, and 18 out of 25 from Texas have been voting against sending aid to Ukraine, Reuters reported. Speaker of the House Mike Johnson has recently become a surprise advocate for increasing aid to Ukraine, The Wall Street Journal reported. AdvertisementDespite previously voting against sending more aid to combat Russian President Vladimir Putin's invading forces, Johnson has used his position as speaker to publicly label Ukraine aid a key priority.

Persons: Biden, —, Biden's, Joe Biden, JONATHAN ERNST, Getty, Mike Johnson, Vladimir Putin's, Johnson, Vladimir Putin Organizations: Biden Administration, Service, Capitol, Republicans, Reuters, Reuters . Pennsylvania, Street Journal, Congress, America, America . Patriot, Artillery, US Department of Defense, DoD Locations: Ukraine, Pennsylvania, Arizona, Texas, Israel, Gaza, Russia, Reuters ., Europe, America, Pennsylvania , Ohio , Texas

☆ Russia plans to force foreigners to sign a 'loyalty agreement' before they can enter the country
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-30 | by ( Huileng Tan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Russia plans to make foreigners entering the country sign a "loyalty agreement." download the app Email address Sign up By clicking “Sign Up”, you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy . AdvertisementRussia is planning to quell criticism of Vladimir Putin's regime by forcing foreigners entering the country to sign a "loyalty agreement," TASS state news agency reported on Wednesday. The intent of the draft bill is to protect "Russian national interests," TASS reported, citing the document. AdvertisementThe draft bill, which is expected to be sent to Russia's parliament soon, comes months ahead of Russia's presidential election in March.

Persons: —, Vladimir Putin's, Putin Organizations: TASS, Service, Business Insider Locations: Russia, Russian

WASHINGTON (AP) — As record numbers of migrants surge at the southern U.S. border, many seeking asylum, Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas has told Congress the country's “broken” immigration system is in need of a top-to-bottom update. It comes as Mayorkas, the face of the administration’s immigration policy, bears down the threat of impeachment proceedings from House Republicans over what they view as failed border policies. “We’re at a point for three years we’ve been saying, ‘When are we going to secure the country? On Wednesday, House Speaker Mike Johnson told GOP senators behind closed doors that he needs real border security changes as part of Biden's broader war funding package. During recent hearings, Mayorkas told Congress the administration is working to manage the situation, even as Congress has failed to update the immigration system for decades.

Persons: Alejandro Mayorkas, Biden, “ We’re, ”, Republican Sen, James Lankford of, “, we’ve, Vladimir Putin's, Vanessa Cárdenas, Biden's, Thom Tillis, Mike Johnson, Chuck Schumer, Johnson, Mitch McConnell, ” “, ‘ We’re, ’ ” Schumer, they’ve, Donald Trump, Mayorkas, Sen, Alex Padilla, Dick Durbin of, Elliot Spagat, Seung Min Kim Organizations: WASHINGTON, Homeland, Republicans, House Republicans, Republican, Democrats, Eisenhower, Cato Institute, Congress, Defense Department, GOP, Associated Press, COVID, Capitol, Dick Durbin of Illinois, Press Locations: U.S, Ukraine, Israel, James Lankford of Oklahoma, Congress, North Carolina, Alex Padilla of California, Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras

☆ Chechen Leader Says He Is Ready to Send Another 3,000 Fighters to Ukraine
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-27 | by ( Nov. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +1 min

(Reuters) - Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov said on Monday that another 3,000 of his fighters were ready to go to fight in Ukraine as part of new units of the Russian defence ministry and the Russian National Guard forces. "They (the fighters) have the best equipment and modern weapons," Kadyrov said on the Telegram messaging app. "In addition, the guys are highly combative and very motivated to achieve results." Kadyrov's claims could not be independently verified and estimates of the Chechen fighters deployed to Ukraine vary. There have been also been several Chechen armed formations fighting on the side of Ukraine in the war that began with Russia's full-scale aggression in Ukraine 21 months ago.

Persons: Ramzan Kadyrov, Kadyrov, Vladimir Putin's, Kadyrov's, Russia's, Wagner, Lidia Kelly, Sandra Maler Organizations: Reuters, Russian National Guard, Chechen Locations: Ukraine, Chechnya, Russia, Melbourne

☆ Chechen leader says he is ready to send another 3,000 fighters to Ukraine
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-27 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Head of the Chechen Republic Ramzan Kadyrov addresses service members while making a statement, dedicated to a military conflict in Ukraine, in Grozny, Russia February 25, 2022. REUTERS/Chingis Kondarov/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsNov 28 (Reuters) - Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov said on Monday that another 3,000 of his fighters were ready to go to fight in Ukraine as part of new units of the Russian defence ministry and the Russian National Guard forces. "They (the fighters) have the best equipment and modern weapons," Kadyrov said on the Telegram messaging app. Kadyrov's claims could not be independently verified and estimates of the Chechen fighters deployed to Ukraine vary. There have been also been several Chechen armed formations fighting on the side of Ukraine in the war that began with Russia's full-scale aggression in Ukraine 21 months ago.

Persons: Chechen Republic Ramzan Kadyrov, Chingis, Ramzan Kadyrov, Kadyrov, Vladimir Putin's, Kadyrov's, Russia's, Wagner, Lidia Kelly, Sandra Maler Organizations: REUTERS, Russian National Guard, Chechen, Thomson Locations: Chechen Republic, Ukraine, Grozny, Russia, Chechnya, Melbourne

☆ Russian Journalist Warns No Country Safe From Fascism After Ukraine War
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-24 | by ( Erin Snodgrass | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

A Russian dissident journalist who suffered a suspected poison attack last year says no country is safe from fascism. "I honestly believe no country is immune from fascism," Elena Kostyuchenko told Insider. Her book, she told Insider, was an effort to track how the seeds of fascism in Russia flourished into a brutal war. Be hysterical if you see your country is going into the darkness," Kostyuchenko told Insider. And it means that a next war will follow and a next war will follow and it will be a nightmare"

Persons: Elena Kostyuchenko, —, Kostyuchenko, Russia didn't, Vladimir Putin's Organizations: Service, Novaya Gazeta, Novaya, Russia, International Institute for Democracy, Electoral Locations: Russian, Russia, Ukraine, Mariupol, Germany, Kyiv, America

☆ Russian opposition group report says it's identified another superyacht belonging to Vladimir Putin
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-24 | by ( Katherine Long | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

A Russian military plant built Vladimir Putin a 71-meter superyacht, according to a new report. The report was written by the Dossier Center, a Russian opposition group funded by an exiled oligarch. AdvertisementVladimir Putin's newest known superyacht is 71 meters long, cost an estimated $50 million to build, and can carry up to 28 people, according to a new report from Russian opposition group the Dossier Center. Construction on the yacht began in 2005 at a Russian military facility that typically produces nuclear submarines, according to the report, citing unnamed sources close to Putin. Spokespeople for the Russian president and the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Persons: Vladimir Putin, oligarch, Putin's, —, Vladimir, Putin, Mikhail Khodorkovsky –, Russia –, lina K Organizations: Dossier, Service, NATO, ust Locations: Russian, Victoria, Sochi, Istanbul, Russia

☆ Russia continues to pummel Avdiivka; four killed in southern shelling
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-24 | by ( Elliot Smith | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

An aerial view shows Ukraine's Motherland monument, with its new Ukrainian coat of arms shield, after fresh snowfall on Nov. 22, 2023, in Kyiv, Ukraine. Russian forces continued to bombard the eastern Ukrainian city of Avdiivka on Thursday night while shelling killed four in the southern region of Kherson, according to local officials. The head of Avdiivka's military administration, Vitaliy Barabash, told Ukraine's Channel 24 on Thursday that Russian forces had launched their "fiercest" attacks yet on the embattled down. According to Reuters, Barabash said Russia was unleashing up to 18 air attacks per day, sometimes more. In the southern region of Kherson, prosecutors said Russian shelling had killed three men and a woman, according to Reuters, as Ukrainian forces continue to mount a counteroffensive in the east and south of the country.

Persons: Vitaliy Barabash, Barabash, Vladimir Putin's, Putin Organizations: Ukraine's, Reuters, Kremlin Locations: Kyiv, Ukraine, Russian, Ukrainian, Avdiivka, Kherson, Russia, Donetsk

☆ Ukraine war live updates: Putin's peace talk comments send a signal to the West; Kremlin says Europe poses a threat to Russia
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-23 | by ( Holly Ellyatt | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Russian President Vladimir Putin's comments on Wednesday — in which he blamed Ukraine for the lack of peace talks and claimed Russia was ready for discussions to resume — were designed to pile pressure on the West to push Ukraine back to the negotiating table, analysts said. They noted that Putin and other Russian officials have routinely claimed the Kremlin is ready to negotiate to end the war while signaling that the Kremlin maintains its key objectives, including territorial claims and regime change in Ukraine. In other news, Finland is to close all but the most northern border crossing point with Russia in an effort to halt asylum seekers traveling to the country. It claims Russia is encouraging migrants to travel to the border. Moscow denies the allegation.

Persons: Vladimir Putin's, Putin Organizations: Kremlin Locations: Ukraine, Russia, Finland, Moscow

☆ US Is 'Confident' Sweden Will Soon Join NATO - US Envoy to Hungary
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-16 | by ( Nov. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

BUDAPEST (Reuters) - The United States is "confident" that Sweden will soon be a member of NATO, the U.S. ambassador to Hungary said on Thursday, adding he had been assured by the Hungarian government that Budapest would not be the last to ratify the bid. Relations between Budapest and Washington have soured because of Hungary's foot-dragging over the ratification of Sweden's NATO accession and also over Prime Minister Viktor Orban's warm ties with Moscow despite the war in Ukraine. "I have been repeatedly assured at the senior-most levels of this government that Hungary will not be last to ratify Sweden’s accession to NATO," Ambassador David Pressman said. Sweden's NATO membership is still pending ratification by Turkey and Hungary. Orban's Fidesz was expected to submit the bill to parliament on Tuesday, but it has been delayed.

Persons: Viktor Orban's, David Pressman, Orban, Vladimir Putin's, Pressman, Putin, that's, Krisztina, Gareth Jones Organizations: NATO, Fidesz Locations: BUDAPEST, United States, Sweden, U.S, Hungary, Hungarian, Budapest, Washington, Moscow, Ukraine, Turkey, Russia, Beijing

☆ Russian companies' scaled-down IPOs in 2023
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-13 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

A customer walks in a store of Russian clothing retailer Henderson in Moscow, Russia October 31, 2023. IPO/DPO- Biotech startup Genetico (GECO.MM) raised 179 million roubles in an IPO in April. - CarMoney, a fintech service owned by SmartTechGroup (STG) raised 978 million roubles in a direct public offering (DPO) in July. - Technology company Astra (ASTR.MM) raised 3.5 billion roubles in an October IPO. - Men's clothing chain Henderson (HNFG.MM) attracted 3.8 billion roubles through its IPO in early November.

Persons: Maxim Shemetov, Uzhuralzoloto, Vladimir Putin's, Softline, Alexander Marrow, Kevin Liffey Organizations: Henderson, REUTERS, Biotech, SmartTechGroup, Technology, Astra, SPO, State, VTB Bank, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Moscow, Russia, Ukraine, IPOs

☆ Billionaire FBI informant Peter Thiel dished about two Kremlin invites to private Putin meetings
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-10 | by ( Mattathias Schwartz | Hans-Martin Tillack | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +18 min

It was Angermayer who introduced Bisslinger to Thiel at the party, Thiel would later tell the FBI. After some small talk, Bisslinger made a pitch to Thiel: Thiel should travel to Russia to attend the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum. If Thiel chose to attend, Bisslinger said, Bisslinger would arrange for him to meet privately with Putin. "Even if Mr. Angermayer did introduce Mr. Thiel and Mr. Bisslinger," the lawyers wrote in another letter, "Mr. Angermayer is not—and cannot be—responsible for whatever Mr. Bisslinger and Mr. Thiel may or may not have discussed." At his 40th birthday, he connected Peter Thiel with a Russian diplomat, Thiel later told the FBI.

Persons: Peter Thiel, Christian Angermayer, Thiel, Daniil Bisslinger, Bisslinger, Vladimir Putin's, Angermayer, Putin, Maksim Konstantinov, —, Frank Figliuzzi, Vladimir Putin, — Charles Johnson —, Johnathan Buma, Johnson, Welt, Dmitry Peskov, John Lamparski, Donald Trump, — Thiel, Der Spiegel, he'd, Elon Musk, Musk, Thiel —, he's, Palantir, He's, Uma Thurman, Robbie Williams, Queen Latifah, Paul Kagame, Dan McCrum, John Kerry, Richard Grenell, Kerry, Sensei Biotherapeutics, Trump, Dmitry Medvedev, Medvedev, Maureen Dowd, Alexander Schütz, Eva Schütz, Schütz, — Heinz, Christian Strache, Markus Braun, Jan Marsalek, Marsalek, Caroline Haskins, Katherine Long, Jack Newsham, Mattathias Schwartz, Hans, Martin Tillack Organizations: Kremlin, Tech, Pentagon, CIA, Facebook, SpaceX, Kremlin's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Russian Embassy, Thiel, St ., Economic, Getty, FBI, Atlantic, Bisslinger, Germany, Elon, Russia, NSA, US Special Operations Command, National Health Service, Apeiron Investment, Munich Security, intel, Trump, State Department, Angermayer's, PayPal, Nasdaq, Sciences, The New York Times, Deutsche Bank, Welt Locations: Silicon Valley, Schloss Neuwaldegg, Vienna, Silicon, Moscow, Russian, Berlin, Russia, St, St . Petersburg, Petersburg, Ukraine, Europe, Germany, NATO, Crimea, Ukrainian, Sevastopol, Palantir, Washington, Rwanda, Baltic, Belarus, Iran, Angermayer's Malta, Munich, China, China's, Austrian, Austria, Exxpress, Wirecard, schwartz79@protonmail.com

☆ Russia says it's no longer scared of western sanctions – but its economy is still under pressure
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-09 | by ( George Glover | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Russia is no longer scared of western sanctions, a Kremlin spokesperson said last week. There are signs the economy is resilient, with growth holding firm and total wealth increasing in 2022. But western embargoes are still affecting Russia, as exports plunge and the ruble craters. Russia has also got richer despite the war with Ukraine, according to the UBS Global Wealth Report. However, those top-line figures don't mean sanctions aren't working – or that Russia's economy is in rude health.

Persons: —, Dmitry Peskov shrugged, that's, Vladimir Putin's Organizations: Kremlin, Service, International Monetary Fund, UBS Global Wealth, Bank of Locations: Russia, Ukraine, Moscow, Swiss, Bank of Russia

☆ Chechen leader Kadyrov says ex-Wagner fighters are training with his forces
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-06 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Nov 6 (Reuters) - A large group of Russia's former Wagner mercenaries has started training with special forces from the southern Russian region of Chechnya, Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov said on Monday. Kadyrov said in a message on Telegram that a big group of ex-Wagner fighters was undergoing intensive training with his own Akhmat special forces. He published a video, accompanied by stirring music, showing soldiers in combat training, including some wearing Wagner insignia on their uniforms and masks over their faces. Kadyrov said the drills included shooting, field medicine and training for snipers, machine gunners, sappers and artillerymen. It was not clear how many Wagner men were taking part or whether any of them would stay on with the Chechen forces after the training was over.

Persons: Wagner, Ramzan Kadyrov, Yevgeny Prigozhin, Kadyrov, Vladimir Putin's, Putin, Mark Trevelyan, Gareth Jones Organizations: Kremlin, Thomson Locations: Russian, Chechnya, Ukraine, Chechen, Russia

☆ Rouble soars vs dollar as market gauges impact of latest US sanctions
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-03 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

MOSCOW, Nov 3 (Reuters) - The Russian rouble soared on Friday as the market gauged the impact of Washington's latest sanctions against Moscow over the war in Ukraine, heading back towards a three-month high on the support of foreign currency sales and soaring interest rates. By 1455 GMT, the rouble was 1% stronger against the dollar at 92.39 , not too far from 91.6225, its strongest point since Aug. 1, hit on Wednesday. The rouble has now lost support from month-end tax payments, which were due on Monday and usually see exporters convert foreign exchange revenues to pay domestic liabilities. The rouble has strengthened from beyond 100 to the dollar since that decree was announced. "Sanctions may play a stabilising role for the rouble, helping the central bank fight inflation," Polevoy said.

Persons: Vladimir Putin's, Dmitry Polevoy, Polevoy, Alexander Marrow, Jacqueline Wong Organizations: Moscow, Brent, Reuters, Thomson Locations: MOSCOW, Russian, Ukraine, United States, Russia, Locko

Search resuls for: "Vladimir Putin's"

25 mentions found