Eastern Europe / News
Putin fires Navy chief after series of humiliating defeats
Russian President Vladimir Putin has fired the commander of the country’s navy after suffering a number of humiliating losses in the Black Sea.
Ukrainian car bomb kills Russian collaborator ahead of presidential election
Svitlana Samoilenko, who served as the Russian-appointed deputy mayor of the city in the Zaporizhzhia Region, was killed by an improvised explosive device placed under her vehicle on March 6.
Record Czech poll support for ANO as its leader adopts Kremlin-appeasing narrative
Leaked emails reveals how former premier wanted to target foreign minister's family.
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FDI flow from China to Eurasia is ebbing
Lots of talks, but no new deals are being announced.
Ukraine court orders seizure of Turkcell units over oligarch Fridman links
Company controlled by Turkey’s sovereign wealth fund argues Russian businessman has no influence over its Ukrainian subsidiaries.
Italian street artist's selfie with Putin prompts calls for EU sanctions
Italian graffiti artist Jorit sparked uproar last week after appearing at the World Youth Festival in Sochi, where he joined President Vladimir Putin on stage for a picture. His actions provoked outrage in Italy and led to calls for EU sanctions.
Czech president says finance for Ukraine ammunition secured
Czech initiative to buy ammunition from third countries follows failure of EU to provide promised 1mn rounds from within the bloc.
Court confiscates Ukrainian oligarch Kolomoisky's Russian assets
The Russian District Court of the Adygea Republic has confiscated the Russian assets tied to jailed Ukrainian oligarch Ihor Kolomoisky, on March 5, according to the Russian judiciary's press service.
Gazli Gas responds to reports on Uzbekistan project, refutes any suggestion sanctioned individuals are involved
Statement explains restructuring that transferred Russian firm’s controlling stake in company to Hong Kong entity.
Saudi Arabia targets Russian tourists in new deal with Yandex
Saudi Tourism Authority has partnered with Yandex Travel, a prominent Russian online travel agency and aggregator, to capture the outbound Russian tourist market.
EU Commission agrees that German gas levy likely violates bloc rules
The European Commission agreed at an energy ministers’ meeting in Brussels on March 4 that Germany’s levy on natural gas exiting its territory probably violates EU law.
Major Uzbek gas storage expansion project linked to Russian “stoligarch” and Putin friend Timchenko
News investigation also sheds light on involvement of Uzbekistan energy tycoon Bakhtiyor Fozilov. Russia plans to up gas deliveries to Central Asian nation fivefold.
Fugitive Marsalek of bust fintech Wirecard hiding in Russia
Jan Marsalek, the former fugitive COO of the bust German payment provider Wirecard, has long collaborated with Russian intelligence services and continues to hide in Russia using three fake passports.
Macron doubles down on idea of using Nato troops in Ukraine
French president for a "strategic leap" in Western thinking on help to Kyiv.
Poland to push EU to ban food imports from Russia and Belarus
Prime Minister Donald Tusk is going to ask the Polish parliament this week for a resolution calling on the ban of farm product imports from Russia and Belarus.
Beauty queens in public spat as Miss Ukraine accuses Miss Russia of pageant bribery
Beauty queens competing in Miss Europe 2024 have come to blows after the Ukrainian representative accused her Russian competitor of bribing her way to victory.
Zelenskiy says situation at Poland border has gone 'too far'
Ukraine says Poland is not doing enough to contain the protests that hurt its economy during wartime.
Slovak foreign minister slammed by opposition and president for meeting Russia's Lavrov
Prime Minister Robert Fico praised the meeting as an example of a “balanced and sovereign Slovak foreign policy”.
Thousands attend funeral of Russian opposition figure Alexey Navalny despite threat of arrest
Thousands of mourners gathered at the Quench My Sorrows church in Moscow's Maryino district to attend the funeral service of Russian opposition political Alexey Navalny.
Putin warns Nato of risk of nuclear war, tries to rally the population in his State of the Nation speech
Putin rattled Russia’s nuclear sabre and tried to rally the people to his flag in a time of war in his annual State of the Nation Address to both houses of the Federal Assembly, the Russian parliament, on February 29.