Moscow Says Captured Village in Southeastern Ukraine

Russia’s Defense Ministry said Monday its forces seized control of a village in the southern part of eastern Ukraine’s partially occupied Donetsk region. Russian troops “continued to advance into the depths of the enemy’s defense and liberated the settlement of Staromaiorske,” located southwest of the Russian-held city of Donetsk. Ukrainian troops had retaken the village…

Putin to Visit North Korea, Vietnam – Report

President Vladimir Putin will travel to North Korea and Vietnam in the coming weeks, the business newspaper Vedomosti reported Monday, citing Russian diplomats familiar with the matter. Russia’s Ambassador to North Korea Alexander Matsegora told the newspaper that he is “actively preparing” for the Kremlin leader’s visit to Pyongyang but otherwise did not specify an…

Laur Vallikivi’s “Words and Silences” is Shortlisted for the Pushkin House Book Prize

“Words and Silences – Nenets Reindeer Herders and Evangelical Missionaries in the Post-Soviet Arctic” is the first book by Estonian ethnologist Laur Vallikivi, and draws on twenty years of fieldwork amongst indigenous communities in the Russian Far East. Vallikivi acknowledges that the Soviets and their predecessors committed many atrocities against such communities – conscripting them,…

Russian Attacks Kill 2 in South, Northeast Ukraine

Russian shelling and aerial attacks killed two people in southern and northeastern Ukraine Saturday, authorities said, a day after the United Nations warned monthly civilian casualties had reached near-year highs. At least 174 civilians were killed in Ukraine in May, the deadliest month since June 2023 as Russian forces pushed into the northeastern Kharkiv region,…

Russia Says Its Forests Can Absorb Its Greenhouse Gas Emissions. Climate Change and Poor Forestry Standards Make This Unlikely.

As the climate crisis intensifies, Russia is pinning its hopes on its vast forests to make up for its carbon emissions — the world’s fourth-highest — and even help the country become a global leader in carbon absorption. But the country’s substandard conservation and ineffective forestry practices, combined with the impacts of climate change itself,…

Russia Bans Nonexistent ‘Anti-Russian Separatist Movement’

Russia’s Supreme Court has banned the vaguely defined “Anti-Russian Separatist Movement” as an “extremist” organization, the independent news website Mediazona reported Friday. Rights groups say they have not been able to find a formal organization called the “Anti-Russian Separatist Movement,” leading to speculation that the authorities could use the designation as a pretext for wider…

Putin Touts BRICS, Rebukes ‘Hegemon’ West in Economic Forum Speech

Countries across the globe are racing to “strengthen their sovereignty” amid Western nations’ efforts to “maintain their elusive role as hegemons,” President Vladimir Putin said in his plenary address at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF) Friday.  Moscow has sought to broaden its support from countries in Africa, South America and Asia and cast itself as…

ROSATOM participates in SPIEF-2024 Plenary Session “Technological Ecosystem of the Future: For the Benefit of Humanity and the Planet”

Alexey Likhachev, Director General of ROSATOM, outlined three key components of the technological landscape for the next hundred years. On June 7, the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF-2024) featured a plenary session titled “Technological Ecosystem of the Future: For the Benefit of Humanity and the Planet.” Participants included Alexey Likhachev, Director General of ROSATOM,…

Indian Medical Students Drown in Russian River

Four Indian medical students have drowned while swimming in a river in northwestern Russia, local law enforcement officials said Friday. The incident happened on Tuesday in the Volkhov River in the city of Veliky Novgorod, the regional branch of Russia’s Investigative Committee said. “The students were swimming… in an area where swimming is banned,” the…

ROSATOM, together with partners from the Republic of Guinea, study the possibility of deploying floating power units in the country

The document was signed during the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum. On June 7, 2024, during the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, the Mechanical Engineering Division of ROSATOM signed a memorandum of understanding with partners from the Republic of Guinea. This Memorandum of Understanding envisages cooperation on developing floating power units (FPUs) to supply electricity…

U.S. Says Russia Planning Naval Drills in Caribbean Sea

Washington is tracking Russian warships headed to the Caribbean Sea for military exercises this summer, Reuters and the Associated Press reported, citing unnamed U.S. officials. According to the reports, officials said they believe the anticipated drills were “certainly” part of Russia’s broader response to U.S. support for Ukraine. AP said Moscow has not notified Washington…

Russia Detains French Citizen for Gathering Military Information

Russian law enforcement authorities on Thursday detained a French citizen on suspicion of gathering information about the military and accused him of violating the country’s law on “foreign agents.” “The suspect carried out a targeted collection of Russian defense and military-technical information for several years,” Russia’s Investigative Committee, which probes major crimes, said in a…

Russian Central Bank Chief Calls for ‘Open Economy’

Russia’s Central Bank chief on Thursday called for Russia to be an “open economy” despite the barrage of Western sanctions and trading restrictions it has faced over the full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Central Bank Governor Elvira Nabiullina was speaking at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF), Russia’s premier business and investment event that used to…

At SPIEF 2024, ROSATOM representatives took part in the session “The Northern Sea Route: Expanding Arctic Horizons”

There were plans announced to transport 3 million tons of transit cargo along the Northern Sea Route by the end of the year. Representatives of ROSATOM took part in the session “The Northern Sea Route: Expanding Arctic Horizons”, which was held at the XXVII St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF-2024) on June 6. The event…

ROSATOM and Burkina Faso Begin Cooperation on Preparation to Nuclear Technology Development

The memoranda outline specific steps for building human resources for Burkina Faso’s nuclear sector. On June 5, on the sidelines of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF-2024), three memoranda of understanding were signed between ROSATOM and the Ministry of Energy, Mines and Quarries of Burkina Faso. The documents were signed by Director General of…