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Russia’s State Duma Passes New Shocking Bill on Sabotage

Russia’s State Duma Passes New Shocking Bill on Sabotage

Putin’s regime has continued its crackdown on citizens by introducing tighter laws on sabotage. Russia’s State Duma, which is the lower house of the Russian parliament, has submitted a pile of bills on the country’s war with Ukraine. On the one hand, Russia is tightening penalties for sabotage while seeking to waive criminal liability for crimes committed in Russian-controlled areas of Ukraine until late September on the other.

Russia, Iran Forge Security Partnership

Russia, Iran Forge Security Partnership

Russia and Iran have stepped up their military and security cooperation. Moscow provides Tehran with training and anti-riot equipment in exchange for weapons and drones. Officials from both states hold working visits. After Security Council Secretary Nikolai Patrushev had met with his Iranian counterpart, more senior Iranian and Russian military and law enforcement agencies officials have been involved in a whirlwind of meetings and talks.

TotalEnergies, Shell Quit Joint Russian Energy Projects

TotalEnergies, Shell Quit Joint Russian Energy Projects

Dozens of Europe’s biggest companies have abandoned their operations in Russia. But regulations and deals in force slow down the procedure of quitting the country. Importantly, Western firms abandon joint projects with both state-run and private companies throughout Russia.

Will Belarus Join Russian War in Ukraine? Possibly in a Month

Will Belarus Join Russian War in Ukraine? Possibly in a Month

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko on December 13 announced a snap military inspection, the latest in a burst of exercises that have prompted concern from neighboring Ukraine. Yet this is unlikely to happen now. Such alarming reports have proliferated in recent months.

Russia Seeks to Prevent New Ukrainian Assault

Russia Seeks to Prevent New Ukrainian Assault

A new Ukrainian ground assault is just a matter of time. The coming winter may provide Ukraine with more opportunities to retake land from Russia, with more matériel to be sent to the front. Concerns are mounting that Belarusian troops could join Russia’s forces in Ukraine from the north. But it is just a bluff, according to the United States, NATO, and Ukraine. Ukraine has more efficient air defense systems to shoot down Russian drones and missiles.

Russia To Sell Petroleum Products To Pakistan Amid Saudi Fears

Russia To Sell Petroleum Products To Pakistan Amid Saudi Fears

As the European Union introduced a ban on Russian oil, Moscow is diverting its crude from Europe to Asia. Now Russia will sell its crude to Pakistan. Moscow’s recent moves have deepened Saudi Arabia’s anxiety as the country has been the biggest oil supplier regionwide.

Turkey’s Erdogan Puts Pressure on Putin in Syria

Turkey’s Erdogan Puts Pressure on Putin in Syria

Turkey has taken advantage of Russia’s uneasy situation amid its invasion of Ukraine, seeking to force Moscow into a pile of political and economic concessions. One example of that is Turkish efforts to block Russian oil tankers. The government in Ankara seems to prioritize its gains in Syria, notably in its clash with Syrian Kurds.

Hungary towards the Three Seas Initiative

Hungary towards the Three Seas Initiative

After the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, the countries of Central and Eastern Europe regained the longed-for freedom and for the first time in centuries were able to independently decide about their future. In the 1990s, they set Euro-Atlantic integration as their overriding goal. However, one of the criteria for membership in the European Union and the North Atlantic Alliance was participation in regional cooperation formats. At that time, agreements were signed that established the Visegrad Group (V4) and the Central European Free Trade Agreement (CEFTA), two cooperation platforms that laid the foundations for further mechanisms of Euro-Atlantic integration. In 2007, most Central European countries could already boast membership in the European Union and NATO.

After Bali: The Biden-Xi Talks

After Bali: The Biden-Xi Talks

The rivalry between the US and China has been intensifying since 2018. And, since October 12, 2022, the White House’s reasserted National Security Strategy (NSS) has highlighted China as a direct and imminent threat.

The Battle for Bakhmut: Russia Did Not Learn a Lesson

The Battle for Bakhmut: Russia Did Not Learn a Lesson

Russia has thrown many troops and matériel into battle for a mid-sized city in the Donetsk region, an effort that resembles its strategy a couple of months ago in Severodonetsk. Ukraine has seemingly put a lot of effort into defending Bakhmut to involve as many Russian troops as possible. Losing a strategically insignificant city could be worth further advances, also in the Zaporizhzhia region.

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