Russia Monitor Monthly 2/23
Content
Tajikistan Could Thwart Russia’s Push Towards Taliban
The huge Vostok Oil project was a key issue of discussion when India’s oil and gas minister sat down for talks with Rosneft’s Igor Sechin. Shri Hardeep S Puri arrived in Vladivostok to take part in the Eastern Economic Forum. He made a stop-over in Moscow to meet Sechin before heading to the Russian Far East.
Russia vs Ukraine: Where Do “Red Lines” Run?
The idea of NATO membership for Ukraine is the worst-case scenario for Russia that staunchly opposes also the potential broadening of NATO infrastructure on Ukrainian territory. This time the Kremlin is using Alexander Lukashenko to attain its goals. The intention is to send a strong signal to the West that Russia and Belarus would recognize NATO military bases in Ukraine as a casus belli.
Tatarstan’s Top Oil Asset To Pay Dividends
Tatneft is paying out a dividend of 16.52 roubles per share for the results in the six first months of 2021, according to the company’s shareholders. On September 30, an extraordinary meeting of the company’s shareholders took place in Kazan, alongside a meeting of the board of directors chaired by the president of Tatarstan.
Russia Lunges Into Mali, Sends Wagner Group Mercenaries And Weapons
The Ukrainian Gas Transmission System operator said Russia’s Gazprom had suspended its gas transit through Ukraine from October 1, on the same day that a new gas deal between Hungary and Russia took effect. The agreement outraged Kyiv and triggered a diplomatic row between Ukraine and Hungary. This shows how Russia is seeking to make political use of gas pipelines that bypass Ukraine and Poland. Moscow is sparking conflict between the countries in the region while compromising Ukraine’s security and also that of other European states.
Russia Endures Fourth Wave of Coronavirus Pandemic
Russia is seeing a devastating health situation as one in two regions is grappling with a spike in new coronavirus cases. In the last days of September, Russia reported its highest coronavirus death toll. Undoubtedly, Russia is battered with a long-awaited fourth wave of the coronavirus pandemic.
Wolf warriors against European hawks. Can the European Parliament spearhead EU foreign policy on China? – Podcast
Among the countries of the Visegrád Group, Hungary is perceived as having relatively close ties with the People’s Republic of China (PRC). However, the recent protests in Budapest, Hungary’s capital, over the construction of a branch of China’s Fudan University seem to show that the public is divided on the issue of Viktor Orbán government’s foreign policy.
Joe Biden’s Approach: the CEE
With Xi Jingping and Vladimir Putin as constantly growing competitors, will Biden uphold the delicate balance between continuing the legacy of Donald Trump’s foreign policy and keeping a firm stand against the expansion of Russian and Chinese spheres of interest?
Sechin Invites India to the Arctic
The huge Vostok Oil project was a key issue of discussion when India’s oil and gas minister sat down for talks with Rosneft’s Igor Sechin. Shri Hardeep S Puri arrived in Vladivostok to take part in the Eastern Economic Forum. He made a stop-over in Moscow to meet Sechin before heading to the Russian Far East.
Russia Pumps More Crude Oil
Russia’s crude oil output jumped in September thanks to some decisions made by OPEC+. However, it is vital for Gazprom to rebuild export capacities after a fire at a facility in Siberia.
Kabul Meeting: A Common Front of Russia, China, Pakistan?
Moscow and Beijing are pushing for an inclusive government in Afghanistan. At the same time, they are seeking friendly ties with the new government in Kabul as soon as possible. These efforts were channeled into a visit of Russian and Chinese special envoys for Afghanistan. Not only did they join forces, but there were also accompanied by a representative of Pakistan, a country that has the biggest influence on the Taliban and their policy.
Lukoil Voices Concern Over Ghana Oil Assets
Russian energy giant Lukoil said Ghana’s plans to acquire a bigger stake in one of its key oil projects could pose a risk to its execution. The Russian giant is concerned over deteriorating project conditions as a Ghana state corporation acquired stakes from a private Norway-based energy firm.
Russian Navy Drills Shooting Targets in Occupied Crimea
Russia’s navy practiced firing at sea-based targets using its Bastion coastal missile defense system. The drills coincide with the exercises in Ukraine involving the use of vessels in the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov. With time, place, and the type of weapons used, it is possible to state that the Russian war games are a response to the Joint Efforts 2021 exercises as Moscow is flexing its military muscles.
Is China’s Strategy of Mass Mobilisation Effective Way to Fight the Covid-19 Pandemic?
In 2020, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) notched up a crushing victory when swiftly containing the Covid-19 pandemic in China, which was used for propaganda purposes both at home and abroad. The Chinese model of fighting the pandemic is based on the CCP’s strategy of mass mobilization.
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi Makes Tour of East Asian Countries
In the first half of September 2021, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi made a trip to East and Southeast Asia, visiting Cambodia, Vietnam, Singapore, and South Korea.
State Duma Vote: Test Before Rigging Presidential Election
The State Duma vote on September 17–19 was a testing ground for the regime that tested new methods of voter fraud in addition to well-proven practices. What seems most important in this respect is allowing for voting online in some Russian regions. Possibly this method will be extended to most places, or even the whole country, making it easier for the regime to falsify the vote.
Unsurprising State Duma “Elections” in Russia
The three-day State Duma vote was nothing but a meaningless ritual as its results are consistent with the Kremlin’s earlier objectives. Russia’s United Party won a strong majority in a parliamentary vote while making up for a slight loss of seats in the lower house of the parliament by a new systemic opposition faction in the State Duma seated by parties loyal to the Kremlin.
Peace Mission-2021: CSO Countries Involved In Joint Drills
Russia and China are taking part in yet another military drill. The Peace Mission-2021 joint anti-terrorism military exercise is centered on the threat from the Taliban. As a couple of Central Asian countries are involved in the drills, they seem to be more afraid of an Islamic Afghanistan more than they are reluctant to see China’s growing reach with tacit consent from Moscow.
Lebanon. A fading star of the Middle East.
Lebanon has been mired in an economic and political crisis since 2019. The World Bank Lebanon Economic Monitor (LEM) published on June 1 ranked the Lebanese crisis among the top ten most severe global collapses since the mid-19th century.
US Evacuation from Afghanistan: Haste Makes Waste
August 30, 2021, when the last US Air Force aircraft took off from Kabul airport, marked the end of the nearly two-decade-long US intervention in Afghanistan.
Is Chinese Ambassador to UK Persona Non Grata?
The Chinese ambassador to Britain has been banned from attending an event in the British parliament, according to a decision made in mid-September. The reason for that was that Beijing imposed sanctions on some British lawmakers. China condemned the move and pledged retaliatory measures.
Warsaw Institute
