Ukraine
Naftogaz wins Austrian court approval to seize Russian assets worth over €120mn
Ukraine’s state-owned Naftogaz Group has secured permission from an Austrian court to enforce a $5bn arbitral award against Russia, in the latest step in its effort to recover compensation for the seizure of its assets in Crimea.
Russia's Tatarstan region reports massive Ukrainian drone attack
Russia's Tatarstan region reports a massive drone attack, with air raid sirens sounding in Almetyevsk, as defence systems intercept 25 Ukrainian drones across multiple regions.
US ends Ukraine war funding, says vice president JD Vance
US Vice President JD Vance has said that Washington has stopped financing Ukraine’s war effort, signalling a shift in policy under President Donald Trump towards pushing European allies to take greater responsibility in supporting Kyiv.
Confusion reigns over the upcoming Trump-Putin meeting in Alaska
Russian President Vladimir Putin presented the Trump administration this week with a proposal for a ceasefire in Ukraine that will be discussed at a meeting between the two presidents on August 15 in Alaska.
Ukraine slams Slovak strongman Fico, saying he does not understand causes of war in Ukraine
PM Robert Fico and his nominally leftist Smer party have moved deep into national conservative waters and adopted pro-Kremlin propaganda talking points about Russia being “provoked” into invading Ukraine.
Largest shareholder of Russia's Samolet Group Mikhail Kenin dies at 57
Russia’s largest residential developer Samolet Group announces death of top shareholder Mikhail Kenin.
Wildfires close Dardanelles gateway to Black Sea
Strait closed as Turkey’s heatwave battle with raging wildfires fanned by strong winds continues.
Defrocked Kazakh cleric seeks to form Orthodox church independent of Moscow
Priest described Russia’s war in Ukraine as a “fratricidal sin”. Accused of attempting to form illegal “schismatic” venture.
Trump threatens more sanctions on Russia and China as deadline looms
Russian President Vladimir Putin met with United States Special Envoy Steve Witkoff for three hours on August 6 for “constructive talks”, just two days before a deadline set by former President Donald Trump for a ceasefire deal.
Russia strikes key Ukrainian gas facility linked to Trans-Balkan LNG route
Pipeline built to transport Russian gas through Ukraine to Southeast Europe has recently been repurposed to support imports of LNG from the US and Azerbaijan.
India won't bow to US pressure over Russian oil imports
The Indian Foreign Ministry released an angry statement this week claiming that they are being “targeted” by the United States and European Union for importing oil from Russia.
Kremlin considering “air truce” as US envoy Witkoff arrives in Moscow for talks – Bloomberg
Russia is considering an “air truce” with Ukraine, ending its campaign of long-range drone and missile strikes against cities throughout country, as US special envoy Steve Witkoff arrives in Moscow on August 6.
Russian drone made with India-linked components found on Ukraine’s battlefields
A Russian drone containing Indian-made electronic components has been discovered on Ukraine’s battlefield, head of Ukraine’s presidential office, Andriy Yermak said in a social media post.
Czech president says Ukraine unlikely to reclaim occupied territories
Czech President Petr Pavel has said Ukraine will not be able to liberate its Russian-occupied territories in the near future, and that it is unfair to pressure Kyiv to give them up, Interfax reported on August 5.
MOSCOW BLOG: Are we drifting into a nuclear war with Russia?
US President Donald Trump moved two nuclear submarines to an “appropriate place” as part of his tough man showdown with Russian President Vladimir Putin that comes to a head this week when the 10-day deadline expires.
Russia counters Trumps nuclear submarines, abandons self-imposed limits on short- and medium-range missiles
Russia has declared it will no longer observe self-imposed restrictions on deploying medium- and short-range missiles, ending a moratorium introduced after the collapse of the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty with the United States.
Indian opposition blames government on Trump threats
Under President Donald Trump’s second term his administration has taken a much more hawkish stance that Indian purchases enable Russia to weather sanctions and indirectly fund its war effort
Ukraine’s agro-powerhouse MHP completes acquisition of majority stake in Spain’s Grupo UVESA
Ukraine’s agro-powerhouse MHP completes acquisition of majority stake in Spain’s Grupo UVESA.
Ukraine’s central bank to hold interest rate at 15.5% amid rising inflation concerns
All 11 members of the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) of the National Bank of Ukraine (NBU) voted to keep the key policy rate at 15.5% per annum at their meeting on July 23, the central bank said on August 4.
COMMENT: Russian sanctions have failed, but its buffers are eroding
Russia’s ability to withstand Western sanctions is showing signs of strain as fiscal and external buffers erode, according to senior economists at the Institute of International Finance.