RUSSIA MONITOR MONTHLY 05/2021
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Gazprom Produces Conservative Forecasts About Turkey’s Gas Purchases
Russian gas imports to Turkey have been in decline, with Azerbaijan pushing boldly to take Gazprom’s place. Meanwhile, Turkey’s long-term gas contract is set to expire soon. In addition comes the war in the Caucasus that might cut off Azeri gas flow into Turkey.
Russian Military Drills on the Kuril Islands, Japan’s New Prime Minister
A new Japanese prime minister is unlikely to push Tokyo and Moscow closer to a peace treaty. Before Shinzo Abe sought to normalize relations with Russia in a failed attempt, notably amidst the Kremlin’s tenacity. But Japan’s new prime minister will certainly not be eager to make similar concessions like his predecessor and Russia seems to be aware of this.
Wang Yi at the Lanting Forum
During the opening ceremony of the Lanting Forum on September 28, 2020, the Head of Chinese diplomacy – Wang Yi, gave a speech on international order and global governance in the post-COVID-19 era.
Germany Plays Against Time Over Nord Stream 2
Many signs are that Nord Stream 2 enthusiasts will grow more numerous in Berlin. More and more days have passed since the discovery that Navalny had been poisoned and a heated debated whether to quit the joint Russian energy project or not. No decisions have been made, though.
Day 51 – Alexievich leaves Belarus
None of the seven members of the top leadership of the opposition’s Coordination Council are operating freely within the country at the moment. Some of these people were arrested, most of them are in exile. The last one – Svetlana Alexievich, awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature, left for Germany.
Putin and Naryshkin Resort to Radical Anti-Western Rhetoric
While the Kremlin insists on its backing for Lukashenko and paints Western provocations and pressure, Lukashenko announced a fresh batch of concessions in spheres like economy and integration, once the military is already on the table.
WI Daily News – Military scientists working on thermal vision aid to virus control
Daily dose of the most important news regarding Polish international cooperation, affairs & activity abroad.
Day 50 – Further Sunday’s protests
Traditionally, on Sunday, a weekly culmination of the peaceful protests against the Lukashenko’s regime took place. Several tens of thousands of people took part in the protest in Minsk, fewer than in previous Sunday marches. This march was announced as a symbolic inauguration of Tsikhanouskaya.
The War In Caucasus Is A Big Problem For Russia
Moscow is in a tough situation as violence flares up between Azerbaijan and Armenia. Being the latter’s strategic ally, Russia should come to its rescue in what yet could freeze Moscow’s ties with Azerbaijan that have somewhat warmed in recent years. In addition come Turkey’s stance and commitment it has not shown for the past thirty years.
The Hidden Cost of Cheap Smartphones
The first smartphone was created over a quarter of a century ago, in 1993 IBM launched a device called Simon. It was a cell phone with a touch screen and a personal digital assistant (PDA) function, which between 1993 and 1995 was owned by more than 50,000 customers. Over the next decade the smartphone market has changed significantly.
WI Daily News – 81st anniversary of Polish Underground State
Daily dose of the most important news regarding Polish international cooperation, affairs & activity abroad.
Day 49 – People’s Inauguration of Tsikhanouskaya
Three days after Lukashenko’s notorious inauguration, Minsk’s residents gathered to express their support for Tsikhanouskaya who, in a rightful manner, should have been sworn in. During the rally, 106 people were detained.
Kavkaz-2020: Russia’s Biggest Military Exercise This Year
The active stage of the Russian command-and-staff military drills Kavkaz-2020 wrapped up on September 26 after Russia had hosted what it called its biggest drills this year, with 80,000 servicemen taking part, notably from the Southern Military District.
Day 47 & 48 – State TV hacked by cyber-partisans
In response to the EU’s announcement to impose sanctions on Belarus, the Belarusian Foreign Minister – Vladimir Makei, said that these sanctions would be “nothing but attempts to bring chaos and anarchy to [their] country to make Belarus lose many years of development.”
Can Western Balkans Serve as Role Model of Integration for Eastern Partnership?
The article is a follow-up to the text by the Jagiellonian Club Przez Bałkany do Brukseli? Przyszłość Partnerstwa Wschodniego [Through the Balkans to Brussels? The future of the Eastern Partnership] whose authors compared the potential of the Western Balkans and the three outstanding Eastern Partnership nations.
Bulgaria’s Borisov Reassures Over TurkStream Construction
There will be no new delays in building the key section of Russia’s TurkStream gas pipeline, Bulgarian officials have informed. Whilst inspecting the construction site of Bulgaria’s string of the gas link, the country’s Prime Minister Boyko Borisov announced that the pipeline would start energy flows by the end of the year in what would pave Moscow’s way for Serbian and Hungarian energy markets.
WI Daily News – Poland elected to the IAEA Board of Governors
Daily dose of the most important news regarding Polish international cooperation, affairs & activity abroad.
Russian Crude Oil Supplies Loss Value
Russia has fewer and fewer crude oil reserves being worth less and less. In terms of value Russian crude oil stocks dropped by 17.1 percent in 2019, the Russian Ministry of Natural Resources said in a statement.
Day 46 – Lukashenko sworn in, Belarusians on the streets, international boycott
On September 24, Russia transferred further airborne units to Belarus for Slavic Brotherhood maneuvers. This happened on the day of the unannounced inauguration of President Alexander Lukashenko. The inauguration was kept secret and the state media informed about the swearing in after it happened.
WI Daily News – Polish and Italian presidents discussed EU’s economy and situation in Belarus
Daily dose of the most important news regarding Polish international cooperation, affairs & activity abroad.
Warsaw Institute
