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EU sanctions Russian diamonds
RUSSIA / FSU POLITICS · In Brief · 19 Dec 2023

On December 18 the 12th sanctions package was approved. It had been delayed because of Austrian objections related to Ukraine's placing Raiffeisen Bank, which still operates in Russia, on its list of sponsors of war. The diamond ban relates to both synthetic and natural diamonds as well as those ...

Moldova adopts pro-Western defense strategy
RUSSIA / FSU POLITICS · In Brief · 18 Dec 2023

On December 15 the Parliament voted to make the change. Moldova has officially been neutral until now. The former Soviet republic still does not seek to join NATO.  The Moldovan government aspires to join the EU. The Harvard-educated president is an outspoken advocate of Ukraine's cause, too. How...

Polish blockade of Ukrainian trucks continues
RUSSIA / FSU POLITICS · In Brief · 18 Dec 2023

The Polish blockades of Ukrainian trucks continues. Polish truckers have been blocking Ukrainian trucks from entering or leaving Poland since November 6. Ukraine needs to export and import goods via Poland. The Polish authorities have done very little to stop this illegal blockade. Polish trucker...

Oil workers in Kazakhstan go on strike
RUSSIA / FSU POLITICS · In Brief · 17 Dec 2023

On December 11 hundreds of people stopped work at West Oil Software in north-west Kazakhstan. West Oil Software provides logistics for oil and gas companies. Manghystau Region, where the strike is taking place, has been the scene of similar strikes over the past 20 years. The police have tried to...

EU opens membership talks with Ukraine
RUSSIA / FSU POLITICS · In Brief · 15 Dec 2023

On December 14, to the surprise of some, the European Council decided that the process will begin for Ukraine and Moldova. Many had anticipated that Hungary would veto this. Perhaps the EU made the decision to buoy up Ukrainian morale as Western aid is diminishing.  Zelensky hailed the news as a ...

Putin's live press conference
RUSSIA / FSU POLITICS · In Brief · 15 Dec 2023

On December 14 he held his annual press conference cum phone-in. In theory, members of the public call in and they are randomly selected to speak to the president live on air. The 2023 edition was not as masterful as those of several years ago.  Putin said that the war would go on until Russia ac...

Russia agrees lithium deal with Bolivia
RUSSIA / FSU POLITICS · In Brief · 14 Dec 2023

On December 13 the two countries signed an agreement to allow Uranium One Group to buy lithium from Bolivia. Lithium is a vital component in batteries and electrical vehicle parts. Rosatom (the Russian atomic energy company) is the parent company of Uranium One Group. Uranium One Group beat 6 oth...

Azerbaijan early election
RUSSIA / FSU POLITICS · In Brief · 14 Dec 2023

On December 7 Baku said the presidential election will be held in February 2024.  The election is being called early because there are favorable conditions due to the success in regaining Nagorno-Karabakh. The government may well foresee economic difficulties in late 2024 so wants the election ou...

Zelensky meets World Bank and IMF
RUSSIA / FSU POLITICS · In Brief · 13 Dec 2023

On December 11 the Ukrainian President met the heads of these two institutions in Washington DC. Ukraine is keen to secure more loans from these Western-dominated institutions. This is crucial because donations from European countries and the US are in serious doubt. The IMF approved USD 900 mill...

Zelensky in Argentina
RUSSIA / FSU POLITICS · In Brief · 11 Dec 2023

On December 11 Zelensky went to Argentina for the inauguration of President Milei. Milei has come out as an outspoken advocate of Ukraine's cause. Zelensky held meetings with the presidents of 3 other Latin American countries.  Sympathy for Russia is greater in Latin American than in Europe. Some...

Azerbaijan and Armenia exchange prisoners
RUSSIA / FSU POLITICS · In Brief · 09 Dec 2023

On December 7 the countries released some prisoners of war. They published a statement saying they will enact measures to build mutual confidence and that they both hope for permanent peace. It mentioned territorial integrity, which Azerbaijan understands to mean that Armenia recognizes Nagorno-K...

Putin announces he will run for president in 2024
RUSSIA / FSU POLITICS · In Brief · 09 Dec 2023

On December 8 he made the announcement, flanked by soldiers who had served in the Ukraine War. We predicted this earlier that day. He announced his candidacy at an award ceremony for war veterans. At the ceremony Putin was requested to seek re-election by the governor of one of the Russian occupi...

Aid pledges to Ukraine collapse
RUSSIA / FSU POLITICS · In Brief · 08 Dec 2023

On December 7 the Kiel Institute's Ukraine aid tracker published data that found that pledges of aim to Ukraine have fallen to their lowest ever level. Military, humanitarian and financial aid pledged to Ukraine declined 87% in August to October 2023 (EUR 2.1 billion) compared to August and Octob...

Russia sets March 17 for presidential election
RUSSIA / FSU POLITICS · In Brief · 08 Dec 2023

On December 7 the Russian Federal Council approved the date for 2024. Anti-corruption campaigner Alexey Navalny said from jail people should vote for anyone but Putin. Navalny said that the election would be rigged but people should vote nonetheless. He said it is a referendum on the war. A ''Rus...

Ukraine claims it killed traitor politician
RUSSIA / FSU POLITICS · In Brief · 07 Dec 2023

On December 6 Kyiv said that the former deputy in the Ukrainian Parliament who defected to Russia was shot dead by its operative outside Moscow. Ilya Kyva had been tried in absentia in a Ukrainian court for high treason and sentenced to 14 years in prison. Kyva had repeatedly gone on Russian TV a...

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