Page 113 - Russia

US expels two Russian diplomats, after two diplomats asked to leave Moscow

The Biden administration on Friday ordered two Russian diplomats expelled from the United States in retaliation for the expulsion of two US diplomats from Moscow last month. The State Department said it had taken the action in response to Russia declaring the two American diplomats persona non grata because of contacts with a Russian national who had once worked for the now-closed US consulate in Russia's far-eastern city of Vladivostok and was arrested this year. The department will not tolerate the Russian government's pattern of harassment of our diplomats, spokesman Matthew Miller said in a statement. Unacceptable actions against our embassy personnel in Moscow will have consequences. The expulsions come at a time of animosity between Washington and Moscow over the war in Ukraine and as diplomatic relations have plummeted to their worst level since the Cold War. On September 14, Russia's Foreign Ministry accused the first secretary at the US Embassy in Russia, Jeffrey Sillin, a

Putin indicates Russia may return to nuclear testing, withdrawing from ban

He further highlighted that Russia has tested a new nuclear-powered missile delivery system but had not decided whether to resume explosives testing

Russian Prez calls for more say for India, S Africa in key int'l decisions

India, Brazil and South Africa should be represented at the UN Security Council and their weight in making key international decisions should increase, Russian President Vladimir Putin has said. Addressing the plenary meeting of the Valdai International Discussion Club in Sochi on Thursday, Putin also noted that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi India was becoming more powerful year after year. "Such countries that acquire significant weight in international affairs simply by virtue of their potential and also have the possibility and influence of the settlement of key international issues should be represented in the UN Security Council," Putin was quoted as saying by Russia's state-run Tass news agency. "What countries are these? This is India: the population is already more than one and a half billion people, (with) seven-plus per cent economic growth. This is a powerful country. It is becoming more powerful year after year under the leadership of Prime Ministe

Crude oil prices hold steady, Russia rolls back diesel export ban

On Friday, Brent futures were down 11 cents, or 0.13%, at $83.96 at 1203 GMT, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude futures were down 13 cents, or 0.16%, at $82.18

Nagorno-Karabakh will cease to exist from 2024: What is at stake?

The self-declared republic of Nagorno-Karabakh will cease to exist in 2024. President Samvel Shahramanyan signed a decree dissolving state institutions after a swift defeat by Azerbaijan >

Russian President Putin praises India as 'giant,' backs permanent UN seat

Putin's comments come as the war in Ukraine remains stalemated and the Russian leader casts the conflict as a struggle against Western hegemony and dominance

Hand grenade fragments found in Wagner chief's plane crash: Putin

Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday that fragments of a hand grenade have been found in the bodies of people who died in an August crash of Russian mercenary chief Yevgeny Prigozhin's plane. Putin added that experts investigating the crash found no indication that the plane had suffered an external impact. All 10 people on board, including Wagner mercenary group chief Prigozhin, were killed. While Putin noted that the probe was still ongoing and stopped short of saying what caused the crash, his statement appeared to hint that the plane was brought down by an accidental grenade explosion. Prigozhin's aborted rebellion in June marked the most serious challenge to Putin, who has been in power for more than two decades and eroded his authority. Exactly two months after the rebellion's start, a plane carrying Prigozhin and his top lieutenants crashed on August 23 while flying from Moscow to St. Petersburg.

India confident of continuing discounts on Iraqi and Saudi crude oil

Share of imports from traditional middle eastern share has crept up even as Russian oil dominates

Sentro Group acquires stake in Russian bank, eyes rupee-ruble trade

Sentro Group on Thursday said it has acquired a majority stake in a Russian bank, World of Privileges, for an undisclosed sum. The acquisition of 50.001 per cent ownership in the 29-year-old, post-Soviet era lender is aimed at facilitating rupee-ruble trade, as per an official statement. The group said it is eyeing to ease transactions between the two countries, as trade and commerce grows with India becoming a preferred supplier of goods for Russia. "We wish to partner with Indian banks and other financial institutions for mutual Nostro/Vostro accounts, and the bank wants to expand its services through broker licence, targeting retail investor from Russia to invest in Indian market through FPI licence and other legal methods, the group's Founder and Chairman Naveen Rao said. The vision is to support the ruble/rupee payments for Russians visiting India and Indians travelling to Russia, using Indian and Russian settlement systems like UPI, RU pay card, another senior official said.

Russia launches more drone attacks as Zelenksyy travels to a European forum

Russia targeted Ukraine with drones in another massive attack early Thursday as President Volodymyr Zelenskyy traveled to Spain to rally support from Western allies at a summit of some 50 European leaders. Ukraine's air force said that the country's air defences intercepted 24 out of 29 Iranian-made drones that Russia launched at the southern Odesa, Mykolaiv and Kirovohrad regions. Ukrainian officials didn't immediately report any casualties of damage. The attack came as Zelenskyy arrived in Granada in southern Spain to attend a summit of the European Political Community, which was formed in the wake of Russia's February 2022 invasion of Ukraine. The key for us, especially before winter, is to strengthen air defense, and there is already a basis for new agreements with partners, he said in a statement posted on his Telegram channel. During the last winter, Russia targeted Ukraine's energy system and other vital infrastructure in a steady barrage of missile and drone attacks, ...

Russia surpasses UAE as India's top naphtha supplier amid discounts

The LSEG showed India imported about 670,000 tonnes of naphtha from the UAE in January to September, down from around 726,000 tonnes in the same period last year

Crude prices beyond $100 per barrel to create large, organised chaos: Puri

Previously, Puri underscored the need for oil producers to demonstrate the same consideration for consumer nations as they had received during the pandemic

Sirens blare across Russia as it holds nationwide emergency drills

Sirens wailed across Russia and TV stations interrupted regular programming to broadcast warnings Wednesday as part of sweeping drills intended to test the readiness of the country's emergency responders amid the fighting in Ukraine. The exercise that started on Tuesday follows Ukrainian drone attacks on Moscow and other cities. As the readiness drill went on, the Russian Defence Ministry said air defences shot down 31 Ukrainian drones over border regions early Wednesday. As part of the drills, TV stations broadcast a notice saying: Attention everyone! The readiness of the public warning system is being tested! Please remain calm! Russian media said the exercise's storyline mentions the increasing danger of a conflict between nuclear powers and simulates a response to a situation in which 70% of housing and all vital infrastructure have been destroyed, wide areas contaminated by radioactive fallout and a general mobilization announced. The stark scenario echoes Kremlin warnings tha

Russia likely to ease ban on pipeline exports of diesel soon: Report

Energy Minister Nikolai Shulginov said further decisions on fuel market regulation would be published in the near future

'They're just meat': Russia deploys punishment battalions in echo of Stalin

They're among hundreds of military and civilian offenders who've been pressed into Russian penal units

Russia has not abandoned moratorium on nuclear testing, says Kremlin

President Vladimir Putin, who rules the world's biggest nuclear power, has repeatedly cautioned the West that any attack on Russia could provoke a nuclear response

India imports of Russian, Iraqi oil rebound in Sept after hitting 7-mth low

India imported about 1.55 million barrels per day (bpd) of Russian oil in September, 16% more than in August, while imports from Iraq increased by 17% to about 1.1 million bpd, LSEG data showed

LVMH billionaire Bernard Arnault probed over possible money laundering

The investigation into Arnault and Nikolai Sarkisov involves transactions related to property in the exclusive ski resort of Courchevel, according to Le Monde newspaper

Back on track: Vande Bharat's Russian woes may see light at end of tunnel

RVNL said that a share purchase agreement was finally signed between the two partners

Russian oil trading close to $100 defying increasingly redundant G7 cap

G-7 officials have been long indicating that they have no intention of revisiting the cap for the time being, despite spot prices surging far above the threshold for Russian exports