Eastern Europe braces for end to Russian gas supplies
Ukraine will block Russian gas supplies via its territory in several days, effectively halting its transit to Slovakia, Moldova and, to some extent, Hungary. Kyiv said it would not renew…
Russian roulette
A THUMPING majority for Vladimir Putin in his fifth bid for the Russian presidency was a foregone conclusion, even though its size surprised even seasoned analysts. It’s a 10 per…
Russian roulette
CHURCHILL said it best: “Dictators ride to and fro on Tigers, from which they dare not dismount.” That clearly seems to be the case with Vladimir Putin, de facto czar…
Iran-Israel Russian Roulette
The expected has happened. After Israel’s strike on the Iranian consulate in Damascus on April 1, 2024 killed seven personnel including three senior Iranian commanders, Tehran launched a 300-strong missile…
Russian veto points to ‘grim future’ for North Korea sanctions enforcement
Russia’s move to effectively disband the panel of experts monitoring longstanding United Nations sanctions against North Korea points to a “grim future” for the sanctions enforcement, three former members of…
Europe to battle with US for aluminium if EU opts for Russian ban
European and US buyers will compete aggressively for Middle Eastern aluminium if the European Union bans Russian metal in coming months, sparking price rises reminiscent of 2018 when sanctions were…
No default risk in event of Russian asset confiscation
Countries whose sovereign bonds were purchased by Russia would not be considered in default if Western governments decide to confiscate frozen Russian reserves worth $300 billion, credit rating agencies Moody’s…
Growing tanker fleet, cheaper freight challenge Russian oil price cap
Russian crude oil producers are enjoying the cheapest costs to ship to refiners in China and India in almost a year thanks to a growing number of vessels plying the…
Russian oil price cap under growing scrutiny as prices rise
When the West rolled out its unprecedented price cap on Russian oil late last year, it hoped to starve Moscow of much-needed revenue while minimising the impact on other countries.…
US military deals not enough to wean India off Russian arms yet
India’s multi-billion-dollar purchases of US arms are less about shifting its reliance on Russian defence equipment and moving towards the West - it’s more about developing its own domestic weapons…
