Page 3 - Russia

The Successor: Boris Nemtsov, a Russian road not taken and its legacy

For Fishman, Nemtsov embodies the promise of the free, democratic Russia. Had he fulfilled his destiny, there might not be fighting in Ukraine, with the spectre of World War III

Best of BS Opinion: FinMin offers sobering view of macroeconomic risks

From rising oil-linked risks and services data gaps to gold loan expansion and global capital flows, here are the key insights from Business Standard's Opinion page

Rasputin: Beevor's nuanced account of the Romanovs debunks mystic's myth

Antony Beevor's book casts a cool academic eye on this controversial faith healer, arguing that despite the mystique, Rasputin's influence on the fall of the Romanovs has been exaggerated

Russian FM Lavrov to visit India next week for BRICS meet, hold talks

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov will travel to India next month to attend the BRICS foreign ministers' meeting in New Delhi, the Foreign Ministry announced on Wednesday. During his visit on May 14-15, Lavrov will also hold a bilateral meeting with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said during a briefing. "On May 14-15, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov will attend a full-format meeting of BRICS foreign ministers in New Delhi," Zakharova said. The meeting, chaired by India, will provide a valuable platform for substantive discussions on current international issues and prospects for strengthening global governance, particularly regarding countries representing the global majority, she was quoted as saying by the state-run TASS news agency. "Special attention will be given to enhancing strategic partnerships in preparation for the 18th BRICS summit, which is also scheduled to take place in New Delhi this September

Russia trip opportunity to coordinate after war: Iranian foreign minister

Prior to his arrival in Russia, the top Iranian diplomat held pivotal meetings in Islamabad to further this regional agenda

Russian oil import data 'confidential', exempt under RTI, says CIC

Data on oil imports from Russia to India cannot be provided as it is exempted under the RTI Act due to its "commercial and confidential" nature, according to the Petroleum Planning and Analysis Cell (PPAC) under the Oil Ministry, with the Central Information Commission too backing it, citing strategic and economic interests of the country. The case relates to an RTI plea seeking details of crude oil imported from Russia to India between June 2022 and June 2025, including a company-wise breakup for firms such as IOCL, BPCL, HPCL, ONGC Videsh, Reliance Industries and Nayara Energy. The Central Public Information Officer (CPIO) had denied the information, stating: "The information pertaining to country-wise and company-wise details of crude oil import is of commercial and confidential nature and is exempted from disclosure under section 8(1) (d&e) of the RTI Act 2005. However, the total quantity and value of crude oil import (both current and historical) can be downloaded from the ..

US interventions in Iran, Venezuela driven by oil: Russian foreign minister

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov accused US of oil-driven interventions, slammed 'dominance' doctrine

Oil flows via Druzhba pipeline resumes; EU to adopt new Russian sanctions

Hungarian oil group MOL said on Wednesday that Ukraine had informed it that deliveries of Russian crude had resumed through the pipeline

Kremlin-friendly ex-President wins Bulgaria elections in landslide

Two other parties also appear to have gained seats in the 240-seat chamber, according to the latest results. Borissov conceded defeat and congratulated the election winner.

Ukraine hits Russia's Tuapse oil refinery again with drone strike

Russian officials said that a Ukrainian drone attack on Russia's Black Sea port of Tuapse sparked a fire and killed at least one person

At least 16 killed, over 80 injured in Russian drone attack on Ukraine

Russia hammered civilian areas of Ukraine with hundreds of drones and dozens of missiles overnight, killing at least 16 people and injuring more than 80 others in its biggest aerial barrage in almost two weeks, officials said Thursday. Russia launched nearly 700 drones and dozens of ballistic and cruise missiles, primarily targeting civilians, Ukraine's Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said Thursday on X. At least four people were killed in Kyiv, including a 12-year-old, with more than 50 others injured, Sybiha said. Nine people were killed and 23 injured in the southern port city of Odesa, three were killed and around three dozen injured in the central Dnipro region, and one person was killed in Zaporizhzhia in the south. "Such attacks cannot be normalized. These are war crimes that must be stopped and their perpetrators held to account," Sybiha said on X. Ukraine's air force said air defenses shot down or disabled 667 out of 703 incoming targets, including 636 Shahed-type drones a

Zelenskyy pursues more arms deals with allies to defend against Russia

Ukraine's top diplomatic priority is securing allies' help to buy and build more air defence systems, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Wednesday between meetings with European leaders, as Russia warned that European sites that make drones and other equipment for Ukraine were "potential targets." Russian strikes hit more than a half-dozen areas of Ukraine behind the front line on Tuesday and Wednesday. An 8-year-old boy was killed in the central Cherkasy region, and a woman was hit in southern Zaporizhzhia, according to Zelenskyy and local officials. "Every day we need air defence missiles - every day Russia continues its strikes," Zelenskyy said in a post on the Telegram messaging app. With no plans announced for further US-mediated talks with Russia, Zelenskyy was visiting three European capitals in 48 hours to try to secure promises of further military and financial support. Germany and Ukraine agreed on a defence package valued at 4 billion euros (USD 4.7 billion), and Norway h

Russian LNG under US sanctions heads for the first time to India

India has never publicly confirmed any such pledge and has said its buying decisions are guided by price, supply security and consumer interests

India's Russian oil imports more than triple to 5.3 bn euro in Mar

India's crude oil purchases from Russia more than tripled to 5.3 billion euro in March as volumes doubled and a surge in oil prices pushed up the import bill. European think tank Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA), in a report, said after a drop in purchases in February, India was back to a buying binge in March. "India was the second-highest buyer of Russian fossil fuels in March 2026, importing a total of EUR 5.8 billion of Russian hydrocarbons. Crude oil products constituted 91 per cent of India's purchases, totalling EUR 5.3 billion," it said. Coal (EUR 337 million) and oil products (EUR 178.5 million) constituted the remainder of their monthly imports. In February, India was the third largest importer, purchasing Russian hydrocarbons worth 1.8 billion euro. Crude oil constituted the largest share at 81 per cent (EUR 1.4 billion), followed by coal (EUR 223 million) and oil products (EUR 121 million). "While India's total crude imports recorded a 4 per cent ...

$9bn oil revenue: How Russia is profiting from the Iran war | Crude oil | Oil prices

A surge in oil prices triggered by the Iran conflict is delivering billions to Russia. But beneath the windfall, economic risks still remain.

HPCL issues rare tender seeking LPG tanker to load from Russian port

Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited seeks LPG cargo from Russia as Hormuz disruption deepens supply crisis, forcing India to diversify sourcing beyond the Middle East

Russia, Ukraine swap PoWs as Kremlin-announced Easter truce begins

Russia and Ukraine exchanged 175 prisoners of war (PoWs) each as the 32-hour Easter truce announced by the Kremlin began at 4 pm on Saturday. President Vladimir Putin on Thursday declared the 32-hour ceasefire over the Orthodox Easter weekend. According to his order, Russian forces are to observe the ceasefire starting 4 pm (local time) Saturday till the end of Sunday along the almost 1,300 kms long front in east Ukraine. Apart from the 175 PoWs exchanged by both sides, Ukraine has also released seven Russian civilians, earlier taken hostage from the western region of Kursk, Russian ombudswoman Tatiana Maskalkova told Rossia 24 state TV. The state TV also added that after more than an hour after its beginning, the truce was holding. However, the Russian troops have been ordered to be on standby and ready to repulse any "provocation" by the Ukrainian side. Russian and Ukrainian Orthodox Christians celebrate Easter according to the Julian Calendar, which this year falls on April 12.

Russian strikes kill 2 in Odesa ahead of proposed 32-hr Easter ceasefire

Russian drone strikes killed at least two people in the Ukrainian city of Odesa overnight into Saturday, local authorities reported, ahead of a proposed ceasefire for Orthodox Easter. A further two people were wounded in the attack on the Black Sea port city, when drones hit a residential area, damaging apartment buildings, houses and a kindergarten. According to the Ukrainian Air Force, Russia targeted Ukraine with 160 drones overnight, of which 133 were shot down or intercepted, hours before a proposed Easter ceasefire was due to come into force. Russia's Defence Ministry said 99 Ukrainian drones were shot down overnight across Russia and occupied Crimea. Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday declared a 32-hour ceasefire over the Orthodox Easter weekend, ordering Russian forces to halt hostilities from 4 pm Saturday until the end of Sunday. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Friday that Ukraine is ready to mirror any ceasefire steps, having earlier proposed to .

Putin announces 32-hour ceasefire in Ukraine for Orthodox Easter weekend

Russia's President Vladimir Putin on Thursday declared a 32-hour ceasefire in Ukraine over the Orthodox Easter weekend. Putin's decree, released by the Kremlin, orders Russian forces to observe a ceasefire starting on 4 pm Saturday and lasting until the end of Sunday. Putin's move follows Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's proposal earlier this week to observe a pause in attacks on each other's energy infrastructure over the Orthodox Easter. He said he made the offer through the United States, which has been mediating talks between delegations from Moscow and Kyiv as the conflict stretches into a fifth year.

Russia offers sanctioned LNG to energy-hungry Asia at 40% discount

The effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz - and attacks on the world's largest LNG export plant in Qatar - has throttled about a fifth of global supply, upending the gas market and lifting prices