Russian fuel supplies are facing significant strain as Ukrainian drone strikes have disabled an estimated 25 percent of the country’s oil refining capacity, according to Stanislav Mitrakhovich of the National Energy Security Fund at the Russian Financial University. The resulting shortages have triggered long queues at petrol stations, prompted government-mandated export bans, and forced Moscow … Read more
Swedish tax authorities have determined that the metals giant Rusal, owner of the Aughinish Alumina refinery in County Limerick, remains under the control of sanctioned oligarch Oleg Deripaska. Following this 73-page ruling, the Swedish tax agency, Skatteverket, has frozen 56,787,686 SEK (€5.1 million) in the tax account of Kubal, a Swedish aluminium smelter owned by … Read more
Aughinish Alumina must now secure nearly all of the €31 million required for its eventual closure and environmental cleanup in Co. Limerick. A new agreement with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) replaces previous reliance on a €14 million guarantee from Russian owner Rusal with upfront funds and performance bonds to mitigate risks from potential sanctions. … Read more
The Irish Government is preparing to request financial support from the European Union to maintain operations at the Aughinish Alumina plant in Co Limerick, should potential sanctions against its Russian owners necessitate state intervention. Officials in Dublin consider EU financial backing a prerequisite for any nationalization efforts, as the plant remains a critical supplier for … Read more
Ukraine’s recent long-range drone strikes on the Gazprom Moscow refinery and increasing pressure on Crimea signal a strategic effort to cripple Russian energy revenues. While these successes revive hopes for a shift in the war’s momentum, analysts warn that approaching an “end game” increases the risk of significant escalation. Why are Ukrainian drone strikes targeting … Read more
Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko faces a precarious diplomatic and military ultimatum from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who has demanded the removal of Russian signal relay stations from Belarusian soil. According to reports from the Current Time network, Zelenskyy warned that if Minsk does not dismantle the equipment—which he alleges helps guide Russian missiles into Ukraine—Kyiv … Read more
Latvian intelligence officials warn that Russia is actively preparing hybrid provocations against the Baltic states and Poland, including the use of drones and missiles to pressure NATO into abandoning its support for Ukraine. While analysts do not expect a conventional full-scale invasion, they caution that the risk of miscalculation by an isolated Kremlin remains high. … Read more
Grigory Nekhoroshev, a veteran journalist and former editor of the Russian newspaper Moskovsky Korrespondent, has died in Riga, Latvia, at age 69. According to the Latvian news outlet Delfi, the death occurred on Friday after Nekhoroshev reportedly consumed poisonous wild mushrooms he had foraged from his own property. Authorities in Latvia have scheduled an autopsy … Read more
Grigory Nekhoroshev, the former editor of the Russian newspaper Moskovsky Korrespondent, has died in Riga, Latvia, at age 69. Friends of the journalist state he passed away after consuming poisonous mushrooms gathered near his home. While no evidence of foul play has been officially confirmed, Nekhoroshev—who in 2008 first reported on the relationship between Vladimir … Read more
European Council President António Costa faces internal backlash from EU leaders following his outreach to the Kremlin. While Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez called the contact “understandable,” nine diplomats told POLITICO that behind-the-scenes discontent is high, with some officials comparing Costa’s independent actions to the controversial leadership style of his predecessor, Charles Michel. Why are … Read more