Russia Monitor Articles
Idlib Air Raids Continue As Negotiations Come to Standstill
Syrian government and allied Russian warplanes intensified in late April and early May bombardment of Syria’s rebel-held Idlib province and neighboring regions, killing dozens of civilians. And yet, the issue of the rebel-controlled enclave has come to a standstill due to Turkey’s calls for stopping the invasion by government forces, backed by Iranian and Russian allies.
Russian GRU Agents Found Guilty of Attempted Montenegro Coup
A court in Podgorica found a group of people guilty of plotting a coup aimed at overthrowing the Montenegrin authorities back in the autumn of 2016. Armed attacks were planned and carried out under the supervision of Russian military intelligence officers. As initially planned, Serbian nationalists were supposed to trigger off a storm on the parliament building and assassinate the Montenegrin prime minister.
To What Extent Is Russia Cutting Military Spending?
Russia’s 2018 military expenditure dropped, marking the falling tendency for a third consecutive year, the latest report by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) revealed. Pessimists in Moscow have already sounded the alarm, claiming that Russia halts further military spending while those of other countries have recently rocketed.
“Dirty Oil in the Druzhba Pipeline Could Be Sabotage”
At a joint meeting of the operators of the Druzhba (Friendship) pipeline, Russian pipeline monopoly Transneft informed that the oil pollution was intentional. Belarussian refineries were made to halve oil production due to high levels of organic chloride detected in oil while Polish and Ukrainian operators halted oil transit.
Were Top FSB Officials Jailed over Oligarchs’ Struggle?
A top Russian FSB official in charge in the banking sphere has recently been arrested along with two fellow officers holding positions in the same department. Their detainments may be part of a large-scale operation against Ivan Tkachev, the head of the FSB’s Department K. Also, these activities might have been commissioned by a Lubyanka influential officer, reportedly close to the Rotenberg brothers.
Denmark Helps Ukraine to Maintain Current Gas Transit Levels
Copenhagen’s latest declaration to delay granting permission for the construction of the Nord Stream 2 in Denmark’s exclusive economic zone in the Baltic is bound to translate into a delayed implementation of the project. After a Russian-Ukrainian gas transit contract expires at the end of 2019, Gazprom will be prevented from lessening the amount of gas exported to Europe through the Ukrainian pipeline network.
No More “Teflon” Putin: President’s Plunging Popularity
A recent poll showed a negative tendency for the Russian regime, revealing the fall in Putin’s popular support and giving no prospects for enhancing the public image of the president. The Kremlin has yet much time to reverse the unfavorable trend, though. The problem is that the present-day slump in Putin’s approval ratings differs from comparable periods under his rules in the past.
Rosneft’s Sechin Makes Promises for the Arctic
Russia’s largest oil company Rosneft has recently made a formal offer to make the country’s Northern Sea Route a strategically important and economically viable maritime shipping lane. Its development should be partially possible thanks to Rosneft’s increased mining activity in Russia’s Far North. Sechin’s firm has declared its readiness to invest in the Arctic provided that it gains solid guarantees from the Kremlin.
Russia Performs a Military Buildup on Its Western Flank
Russian Defense Ministry has declared its plans to boost its military buildup in the Baltic part of the Western Military District. Although Moscow claimed such intention to serve as a defensive response to the Alliance’s activity in the Baltic region, both composition and deployment of Russian forces may imply their aptness to be used in the event of a war.
Russia’s Baltic LNG: Gazprom Stays, Shell Quits, Rotenberg Brothers Enter
Russia’s Baltic LNG has recently experienced a sudden and radical change in the line-up of partners committed to implementing the gas project. Russia’s state-owned Gazprom has removed its European partner from a joint investment, yet welcoming a firm run by the Rotenberg brothers.
Putin-Kim Summit: What Advantages for the Kremlin?
North Korean leader will meet the Russian president for the first time, which is what seems most important about the negotiations scheduled to take place in the Russian city of Vladivostok. Yet no one should expect any groundbreaking conclusions to be made during the summit, a fact that even Kremlin officials seem aware of. This event should, however, be viewed in a general context of Russian-U.S. relations.
Russian-Syrian Talks: Moscow Strengthens Military Presence in Syria
Russia is set to finalize by the end of April a deal to lease Syria’s sea port of Tartus for 49 years while the upcoming round of peace talks within the framework of Astana Format is scheduled to take place in Kazakhstan. Both these topics have been covered during recent discussions held between Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and a Russian delegation.
Moscow Is Escalating Anti-Western Rhetoric
Traditionally, the annual Moscow Conference on International Security serves as a forum for revealing anti-Western rhetoric. Seen in a way as a competitive event to the Munich conference, the summit was attended by Russia’s allies from all over the world. Participants of the conference voiced sharp criticism over NATO’s activities, including its latest efforts to strengthen its eastern flank.
Putin Announces End of Compulsory Military Service in Russia
Vladimir Putin pledged his intention to abolish military conscription in Russia, yet saying that both time and sufficient funds will be necessary to carry out such a revolution. Putin’s declaration is “nothing new under the sun” as the Russian leader has reemphasized his commitment at least several times. None of these promises have been kept so far as the Russian army’s professionalization has emerged as an impractical undertaking.
Warsaw Institute
