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Russia’s natural resource hegemony continues to decline
With the lifting of sanctions against Iran and Tehran’s consequent participation in the global oil market, the price for Russia’s main export commodity—energy sources—continues to decline with no end in sight. With the fourth largest reserves in the world, Iran put its oil on the global market on Monday, contributing to oil prices dropping below $28 per barrel.
What is more, the recent events in the Russian gas supply market exacerbate the situation, as traditional markets for Russian natural …
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Protesters in Georgia Say No to Gazprom
Another political scandal is growing in Georgia. The authorities cannot give any clear explanation why the country suddenly needed Russian gas when there are no problems with the supply of "blue fuel" from Azerbaijan. Moreover, the Minister of Energy still refuses to elaborate on the details of negotiations with the Gaprom for some reason.
Former footballer and current chief power engineering specialist Kakha Kaladze at first had denied that there were any negotiations with Gazprom. Then he …
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Klimkin asks EU Diplomats to Attend Savchenko Trial
Pavel Klimkin, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, has asked Federica Mogherini, EU High Representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy, to send European diplomats to court when the verdict in Nadia Savchenko’s case, a Ukrainia pilot, is made.
“I asked Federica Mogherini to ensure the diplomats’ presence at a crucial phase of Nadia Savchenko’s trial,” Klimkin wrote on Twitter.
“In light of the fact that the illegal criminal case against Nadia Savchenko is approaching its …
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Ukrainian Entrepreneurs to Get Access to European Funding Program
The Ukrainian Cabinet of Ministers adopted a draft agreement on the participation of Ukraine in the European Union program "Competitiveness of Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises” (COSME). The press service of the Ministry of Economic Development and Trade indicated that Ukrainian small and medium businesses will have access to 2.3 billion euros.
"It will create an ocean of new opportunities for Ukrainian entrepreneurs. Firstly, it's assistance with entering foreign markets because the …
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OSCE Observers Fired on in Eastern Ukraine
Ukrainian representatives at the Joint Centre for Control and Coordination (JCCC) reported that a sniper from the illegally armed groups opened fire on a car from the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission on the 16th of January in Marinka (in the Donetsk region). The car was fired on within the territory under control of members of the so-called Donetsk People's Republic.
“The representatives of the SMM weren’t injured. Their lives aren’t in danger but the car is damaged,” the report says.
It was …
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Russia to Cut Funds For International Space Station
Russian media reports that the state authorities are planning to reduce the cost of maintenance of the International Space Station in the next decade.
According to the newspaper Izvestia in the latest draft budget for the 2016-2025 years, the cost of servicing the ISS will be around 3.3 billion dollars (252.1 billion rubles), which is 10 percent less than was suggested in the draft budget drawn up in April last year.
The Russian Space Agency is one of five departments that control the station …
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OSCE Opens New Forward Patrol Base in Luhansk Region
According to Glavnoye, the press service of the OSCE reported that on January 1st, a special monitoring mission of the OSCE in Ukraine opened an advanced patrol base in a village in Luhanskaya.
This is the eighth patrol base in the Donbass region. The Luhanskaya base is intended to expand the presence of representatives of the monitoring mission in the region Luhansk so they could quickly and more efficiently respond to various incidents in eastern Ukraine.
"Like other front line patrol bases, …
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Russia Refuses to Participate in PACE January Session
TASS reported that Russia is refusing to participate in the January session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE). A representative of the Agency explained that the period for providing the lists of participants of each national delegation to the PACE expired on Friday. It was reported that Russia did not provide the required list . “This is a refusal to participate in the January session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE),” a well-informed …
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Russia and the West: a new Cold War?
Many experts believe that this week’s announcement that Russia will station three new divisions along the western border is one step closer to a new Cold War. Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu stated that the strengthening of the country’s western flank is “the most important task” for the Russian army in the coming year. The announcement is a chain in a series of events that is reminiscent of what many hoped would be a bygone era.
Shoigu’s words come amidst Tallinn's call to create …
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US company to supply Ukraine with integrated surveillance system
The administration of the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine and the American company Worldwide Aeros Corp signed an agreement that will see the delivery of integrated surveillance systems to Ukrainian border crossings. The press service of the Cabinet of Ministers reported that the first monitoring system is currently on its way.
Kiev hopes to stop the flow of fighters and weapons entering the warzone in eastern Ukraine from Russia. The two countries share a 2,300 km (1,426 mile) border, …