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COUNTRY INSIGHTS

Russian airline grounding much of its fleet due to sanctions
RUSSIA / FSU POLITICS · In Brief · 07 Jul 2024

S7 Airlines cannot fly around 38 passenger aircraft due to lack of spare parts and maintenance. Some of the repairs can only be done outside of Russia. S7 is the second biggest airline in the country. Its Airbus A320neo jets are crucial to its fleet. It has 31 and 15 are not going to be flown unt...

US postpones military drills in Georgia due to rift
RUSSIA / FSU POLITICS · In Brief · 07 Jul 2024

On July 5 the United States said it will not hold the exercises in the Republic of Georgia for the foreseeable future. This was explicitly because of the US reviewing relations with the former Soviet republic. Washington DC is unhappy with the Foreign Agent Act that was passed in Georgia in June ...

NATO pledges USD 43 billion military aid to Ukraine
RUSSIA / FSU POLITICS · In Brief · 07 Jul 2024

On June 5 NATO confirmed the rumors about the donation. This is ahead of the NATO Summit in Washington DC starting on July 9. The major donation is another attempt to Trump-proof Ukraine in case Trump becomes president again on January 20 2025.The NATO Secretary-General called for the member the ...

Turkmen pipeline to Iran
RUSSIA / FSU POLITICS · In Brief · 04 Jul 2024

On July 3 a contract was signed. The pipeline will enable 10 billion cubic meters (BCM) of natural gas to go to Iran each year. The gas will then be shipped to Iraq. The pipeline will be 125 km long.The price that will be paid by Iran has not been stated. Iran has the second largest reserves of n...

US donates USD 2.3 billion and rumors of NATO donations of USD 43 billion
RUSSIA / FSU POLITICS · In Brief · 04 Jul 2024

On July 3 the US Defense Secretary said that it would make the donation for security assistance. Ukraine pleads with allies for more air defense. The latest aid package consists of air defense interceptors and anti-tank weapons. In June 2024 the Netherlands and an unnamed EU country gave Ukraine ...

Chinese President on state visit to Kazakhstan
RUSSIA / FSU POLITICS · In Brief · 03 Jul 2024

On July 2 Xi Jinping landed in Astana for a state visit. The Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) is holding a summit in Astana starting on July 3. Xi also in Kazakhstan for that. China dominate the SCO.Russia is also a member of the SCO and Putin shall attend. Other members include India, Pak...

Essential CIS Politics: July 2024
RUSSIA / FSU POLITICS · Report · 02 Jul 2024

* The war has led to minor gains for Russia as both sides bombard each other’s cities. * EU and US aid and loans bolster Ukraine. * Putin’s visit to North Korea and Vietnam shows Russia is not isolated. * Georgia’s foreign agent law has been passed.

Hungarian PM in Ukraine
RUSSIA / FSU POLITICS · In Brief · 02 Jul 2024

On July 2 Viktor Orban came to Kyiv and met Zelensky. Ukraine really needs to win Orban over. Of all the EU leaders he is the most skeptical about Western aid to Ukraine. This is Orban's first visit to Ukraine. He once blocked a EUR 50 billion aid package to Ukraine for months. He has also been o...

Chinese projects in Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan
RUSSIA / FSU POLITICS · In Brief · 01 Jul 2024

China is the major investor in Central Asia. Russia's role in the five former Soviet republics in the region has declined in real and absolute terms. This has been accelerated since the Ukraine War began. However, it has not disappeared and Russia will still have some role in the region for decad...

EU imposes sanctions on Belarus amid tensions with Ukraine
RUSSIA / FSU POLITICS · In Brief · 01 Jul 2024

On June 29 the EU said it was restricting trade with this Russian ally. The EU says that Belarus has bought dual-use items from the EU to re-sell to Russia even when this is specifically forbidden by the sale contract. The European Union is now preventing that. The items are navigation equipment,...

Ukraine signs defense pacts
RUSSIA / FSU POLITICS · In Brief · 29 Jun 2024

On June 27 President Zelensky was in Brussels where he signed defense pacts with the EU, Lithuania and Estonia. The agreements deal with 9 areas of security and defense policy.  The EU's statement affirmed its unflagging support for Ukraine for as long as it takes. This is presumably designed to ...

Russia blocks 81 media outlets
RUSSIA / FSU POLITICS · In Brief · 28 Jun 2024

On June 25 Russia announced that it was doing this. The media outlets are based in 25 of the 27 EU member states. Moscow did this because in May 2024 the EU banned several Russian newspapers and TV channels. The European Union said it did this because these outlets are controlled by the Russian s...

Russia hosts BRICS Games
RUSSIA / FSU POLITICS · In Brief · 25 Jun 2024

On June 23 the games closed in Kazan. The host city is the capital of Tatarstan, the home of an indigenous ethnic minority. At the BRICS Games Russia won the most medals. 53 countries sent athletes. There were athletes from non-BRICS countries. Many from ex-USSR countries such as Uzbekistan and B...

Terrorist attacks on synagogue and churches in Russia
RUSSIA / FSU POLITICS · In Brief · 24 Jun 2024

On June 23 a police post and places of worship were attacked by gunmen in Dagestan. The police post was there to protect the synagogue. Dagestan is the home of an ethnic minority Muslim community in the Caucasus and has been plagued by terrorism since the 1990s. In the late 2000s the situation im...

South Korea reacts to Putin's visit to North Korea
RUSSIA / FSU POLITICS · In Brief · 22 Jun 2024

On June 21 Seoul summoned the Russian Ambassador to register South Korea's displeasure at the defense agreements signed by Putin and Kim Jong Un. South Korea asked that Russia end its military collaboration with North Korea and re-commence adherence to UN Security Council Resolutions. Russia vote...

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