Day: July 25, 2022

Russia’s state-owned gas company on Monday announced an unexpected, drastic cut in supply to Europe, leading Ukraine to call the West to action over the “gas war.” The gas cuts came amid guarded hope of resuming exports this week of another key commodity — Ukraine’s grain — under a breakthrough deal that was called into…

French prosecutors have opened an investigation into the assets owned by Russian oligarchs, a legal source said on Monday. The probe is expected to look into possible money laundering and corruption. The investigation, first reported by the Parisien newspaper, comes after anti-graft group Transparency International filed a legal complaint against oligarchs in France in May. …

Gazprom said it was cutting daily gas deliveries via the Nord Stream pipeline to 33 million cubic meters a day — about 20% of the pipeline’s capacity — from Wednesday. The company said in a statement on Monday that it was halting the operation of one of the last two operating turbines due to the…

Russia’s largest resort city Sochi experienced major flooding over the weekend as record rainfall washed out the city on the Black Sea coast. Local power supplies were cut off, apartment buildings were flooded, cars were seen being washed away and a river overflowed, leading to one civilian death and several injuries. Russian climate activist Arshak…

Russia’s Avtovaz automaker will revive the classic three-door Lada Niva Legend, the sanctions-hit company announced Monday. Known for its simplicity and durability since the Soviet period, the Niva Legend’s Classic 2022 configuration is hitting the market with a limited number of 1,800 vehicles and a price tag of 800,000 rubles ($13,600). “We’re glad to expand…

Kazakhstan is significantly increasing its defense spending and seeking closer ties with China and NATO countries amid fears of Moscow’s geopolitical ambitions spreading beyond Ukraine, The Wall Street Journal reported, citing a Kazakh official.  The Central Asian country will commit an extra 441 billion tenge ($918 million) to its defense budget, a nearly 1.5-fold increase…

The Kremlin said Monday that Russian strikes on Ukraine’s Black Sea port of Odesa “should not affect” a UN-brokered deal between Moscow and Kyiv to unblock grain exports.  “This cannot and should not affect the start of shipment,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters, two days after Moscow hit the port.  He said Russia’s strikes…

The European Union has agreed to impose sanctions on the “Night Wolves,” a notorious pro-Kremlin biker gang, as part of the bloc’s latest penalties over Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the Financial Times reported Friday. The Night Wolves are famous for their nationalist leanings, provocative pro-Kremlin trips to Europe and ties with President Vladimir Putin. The…

A Siberian regional opposition deputy has fled to Georgia shortly after Russian authorities launched a criminal investigation against her on allegations of spreading “fake” information about the Russian army. Helga Pirogova, 33, was arrested last week and charged days later over a since-deleted tweet that criticized the mother of a deceased volunteer soldier who praised…

A Russian chess robot latched onto and broke a child prodigy’s finger during a tournament in Moscow, news outlets have reported. Video shared by the Baza Telegram channel Thursday showed the robot arm squeezing the boy’s finger and adults rushing to his help. The news outlet identified the victim as 7-year-old Kristofer, one of Moscow’s…

Laptops and computer keyboards with Russian-language layouts are increasingly reaching Russia under a government scheme to maintain imports despite Western sanctions and an exodus of international businesses over the war in Ukraine, the Kommersant business daily reported Monday. Russia’s “parallel import” scheme allows the supply of keyboards and laptops originally intended for foreign markets without approval…