• Putin instructs FSB to prevent foreign interference in Russian elections

    Russian President Vladimir Putin has instructed the Federal Security Service (FSB) of the Russian Federation to prevent outside interference with the State Duma elections.  He also instructed them to stop nationalist activity.

    According to RIA Novosti, he said this on Friday during a meeting with the board of the FSB.

    “We need to stop any attempts to interfere with the elections, and our internal political life.  You know that technologies for such purposes exist and that they have been used …

  • Ukrainian border guards report seeing four Russia Mi-8 helicopters near Crimea

    Ukrainian border guards have recorded activity of four Russian Mi-8 helicopters near the administrative border with Crimea.  This was mentioned on the website of Ukrainian authorities.

    “Border guards of the Genichesk unit of the Berdyansk squad have recorded Russian aircraft flying near the administrative border of Crimea.  There were four Mi-8 helicopters flying near the border’s vicinity,” the statement said.

    In November of last year, the Ukrainian government decided to prohibit Russian …

  • Fighting increases in eastern Ukraine

    The situation in the Donbas region remains tense, as both the Ukrainian Armed Forces and pro-Russian separatists blame each other for violating the ceasefire on February 27th. The Ukrainian Armed Forces Press Center reported that attacks by pro-Russian separatists increased after nightfall.  In the Donetsk region, Ukrainian positions came under fire from small arms, heavy machine guns, and grenade launchers near the towns of Zaitsevo, Novgorodskoye, and Luganskoye, the statement said. …

  • Economists predict 30 percent chance of large-scale protests in Russia

    According to economists polled by Bloomberg, the probability that Russia’s current economic situation will lead to large-scale protests is about 30%. As reported by RBC, Bloomberg surveyed 27 experts, only six of whom believed that there is 50% chance or more that Russia’s economic problems will lead to upheaval.

    According to the head of a study group on emerging economies at the Toronto Dominion Bank, Christian Maggio, the probability of large-scale protests “is more limited than last time [ …

  • Merkel urges German businesses to 'show patience' with regard to sanctions against Russia

    Angela Merkel emphasized that sanctions may be lifted only after the Minsk Agreements have been fully implemented. German Chancellor Angela Merkel urged businesses to demonstrate patience towards the lifting of sanctions against Russia. On February 23rd, speaking at the annual Economic Council of the Christian Democratic Union in Stralsund, Merkel acknowledged that business, to a certain extent, has been adversely affected by sanctions. The Chancellor emphasized that they may be lifted only …