Russia Monitor Monthly 7/23
Content
Russia – China’s Junior Partner
Gone are the days when Communist China asked Joseph Stalin for help. It is even difficult to talk about an equal partnership between Moscow and Beijing.
Four Years After the Tragedy in the Colectiv Club
65 people died and hundreds were hurt in the disastrous fire in 2015. The tragedy happened in Bucharest during the Halloween concert. Subsequent protests led to the collapse of the Social Democratic government of Victor Ponta.
Conference: ”NATO Eastern Flank Security. Baltic States and Poland.”
An international conference “NATO Eastern Flank Security; Baltic States and Poland” will take place in Warsaw on November 28, 2019. The objective of this event is a debate with the representatives of the expert community about the strategic relations between Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland in defence and energy aspects.
Warsaw Jewish collections and their destruction during the German occupation
The consistent and systematic extermination of the three-and-a-half-million population of Jews in Poland was a conscious policy of Germans. During the German occupation, about 370,000 Varsovian Jews were killed.
The Clock is Ticking: Ukraine and Russia Once Again Fail to Reach Agreement
Another round of trilateral talks between Russia, Ukraine and the European Commission on the transit of Russian gas through Ukraine from 2020 has ended in a fiasco. The negotiations, held on October 28 in Brussels, have failed to produce positive results.
Is the European Union Turning Away From the Western Balkans?
At the General Affairs Council meeting on October 15, 2019, in Luxembourg, an unfavorable decision was delivered as for the opening of accession negotiations with the two Western Balkan countries: Albania and North Macedonia.
Rosneft Switches Export Contracts to Euros from Dollars Amid U.S. Sanctions
Russia’s largest oil company Rosneft has fully switched to the euro from U.S. dollars as the default currency to minimize its exposure to U.S. restrictions, Rosneft CEO Igor Sechin said.
Zelensky’s Presidency: The End of the Honeymoon
Recent polls indicate that October marks the beginning of an inevitable decline in ratings for Volodymyr Zelensky.
Russia-Africa Summit: Will Malofeev Take Over Prigozhin’s Role?
The inaugural Russia-Africa summit was held in October 23–24 in the Black Sea resort of Sochi, Russia. With the attendance of some 40 African heads of state and a vast group of 10,000 guests from both Russia and African countries, the Russia-Africa summit confirms the continent’s high level of interest in cementing cooperation with Moscow.
Alekperov Embroiled in Turmoil over Lukoil and Surgutneftgaz Shares
This year, the Moscow stock exchange has seen yet another dramatic increases in the shares of a giant Russian energy company.
Friend or Foe: Russia Gets Support in Afghan Peace Talks
Moscow is renewing efforts to resume dialogue between the United States and the Taliban. Following a visit of the Taliban delegation in September, U.S. special envoy to Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad made a trip to Moscow on behalf of Washington.
Rosneft Earns Tax Breaks for its Arctic Projects
Rosneft CEO Igor Sechin has secured longed-for tax cuts for his company’s Arctic projects. The mere fact that the Russian government has given its consent should be seen as a victory of the chief of the country’s biggest oil producer.
Serbia and Russia Hold Joint Exercise Near Belgrade: S-400 Returns to Russia, Pantsir-S Stays
The Slavic Shield 2019 joint military exercise proves ever-tightening bonds between Serbia and Russia. It is the first time that Russia has used its flagship air-defense missile system in military drills outside the country.
Russia Deploys Troops to Syrian-Turkish Border
All the signs are that Russia and Turkey will fully implement the arrangements on the truce in northeastern Syria, as earlier negotiated by the two countries’ leaders.
Gazprom Advances Its Arctic Projects
Russia’s state-run gas producer Gazprom is looking for new hydrocarbon fields on the country’s Arctic shelf.
American Jamestown quotes the Warsaw Institute report
In the publication of the American think tank Jamestown Foundation “How to Defend the Baltic States” by Dr. Richard D. Hooker Junior, refers to a Warsaw Institute report “US Permanent Military Base in Poland: Favorable Solution for the NATO Alliance.”
Russia’s activities in Africa – a statement for El Periodico
Grzegorz Kuczyński, expert at the Warsaw Institute, gave an interview about the Russian presence in Africa for El Periodico, one of the largest Catalan dailies. In the article by Marc Marginedas, you can read, among others, why Russia considers Africa as an arena of rivalry, especially with the West.
Medvedev’s Visits to Belgrade Confirms Russian-Serbian Lasting Friendship
Due to its overall tone and the declarations made, Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev’s recent visit to Belgrade corroborates the fast-growing pace of the tightening of Russian-Serbian ties.
Lukoil Is Unwilling to Pour Money into Arctic Shelf Projects
The Russian government is open to the idea that private oil and gas firms could be allowed to explore Russia’s Arctic shelf.
Russian Air Provocation Close to the Korean Peninsula
Russian military aircraft have yet again emerged in the disputed territory between South Korea and Japan.
Warsaw Institute
