Kremlin slams Trump’s Ukraine U-turn, war the only alternative

The Kremlin slammed US President Donald Trump’s U-turn on Ukraine delivered during the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) on September 23 saying the only option is to continue the war.

Russian banks’ August profits halve on higher reserves and weaker interest income

Russian banks posted sharply lower monthly profits in August as higher loan-loss provisions and weaker interest income weighed on earnings, the Central Bank of Russia said on September 23, according to TASS.

Austria's OMV fires senior exec for Russian espionage

Austrian energy and chemicals group OMV has fired a long-serving executive over suspicions of espionage for Russia, and Vienna has summoned a Russian diplomat in connection with the case.

China sends its first east-west cargo ship via Russia’s Arctic Northern route

The first ever Chinese cargo vessel departed from the massive Ningbo-Zhoushan port on September 22 bound for Felixstowe in the UK via Russia’s frozen Northern Route, in an experiment that could have a major impact on Sino-European trade.

Trump does an about-turn on Ukraine as his “minerals diplomacy” with Russia fails

Donald Trump did an abrupt about-turn on Ukraine during an hour-long rambling speech to the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), saying Ukraine could recapture all its lost territory in the war with Russia.

Russia steps up propaganda ahead of election with claim EU plans to “occupy” Moldova

President Maia Sandu warns Russian interference threatens Moldova's sovereignty, independence and European future.

US moves to retake Bagram would have “catastrophic consequences”

The Taliban military chief said Afghans had “fought well to defend their independence” and should the US consider a military operation, would continue to do so in the face of any challenge to the country’s sovereignty.

Pilgrims defy war to celebrate Rosh Hashanah in Ukrainian city of Uman

Russian AI accelerates but sanctions leave it trailing global leaders

Russia’s artificial intelligence industry is expanding rapidly but remains hobbled by limited access to advanced computing power due to Western technology sanctions, Kommersant reported on September 23.

Serbia to sign new gas supply deal with Russia in October

Serbia, which imported about 3bn cubic metres of Russian gas in 2024, remains among the most energy-dependent countries in Europe.

IMF presses Ukraine to raise budget funding estimate to $65bn

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has pushed Ukraine to increase its estimate of foreign financing needs through 2027 to about $65bn, significantly higher than the government’s initial projection of $38bn.The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has

COMMENT: Uncertainty and geopolitics plague Russia’s negotiations with China on gas supply deals

China is now the only potential buyer of Russian Arctic gas and the only customer with the capacity to absorb significant amounts of gas from the Yamal Peninsula, home to some of the country’s largest reserves.

COMMENT: Ukraine has no choice but to escalate its refinery attacks

Vladimir Putin's meeting with Trump in Anchorage backfired. The Russian president is now confident that military escalation will not lead to a significant increase in US military aid to Ukraine, much less intervention.

"Don’t come here to whine" if Nato downs your jets, Poland’s Sikorski warns Russia at UN

Polish foreign minister's rebuke follows incursion into Estonia airspace by Russian MIG-31s and drone violations over Poland and Romanian.

Funding the war: Ukraine and Russia's budgets side-by-side

Ukraine is teetering on the edge of a funding crisis that could cause its war effort to collapse. The pain for Russia's economy is also growing fast as it slides into stagnation or even stagflation.

Cairo and Moscow seal 49-year pact on Russian Industrial Zone on shore of Egypt's Suez Canal

The Russian Industrial Zone (RIZ) will be located in Ain Sokhna, within Egypt’s Suez Canal Economic Zone -- a vital maritime artery that links the Mediterranean and Red seas and provides the fastest sea passage between Europe and Asia.

Nearly half of Russians think aliens may be hiding among humans on earth - poll

Almost one in two Russians believe extraterrestrials could be on Earth and camouflaged, hiding in the general population, according to a nationwide survey published by the Russian Public Opinion Research Center (VTsIOM).

China, Russia dominate NPP new-builds, but global growth pace slowing

A record level of global nuclear power production in 2024 will be difficult to sustain without fresh investment as ageing fleets, project delays and competition from cheaper renewables bite, the World Nuclear Industry Status Report said.

US presses India on Russian oil in trade talks

The United States has raised India’s oil purchases from Russia as part of ongoing trade negotiations, even as Indian refiners continue to increase such imports to meet domestic demand

EU finance ministers discuss Ukraine's Reparations Loan but no decision yet

EU finance ministers met in Copenhagen on September 20 to discuss tapping the cash pile of frozen Central Bank of Russia (CBR) money and using it to make a large Reparation Loans to Ukraine, but no final decision has been reached.