-
Waszczykowski: War in Donbas one of the main threats to Poland
The Polish Minister of Foreign Affairs, Witold Waszczykowski, stated in a radio interview that the armed conflict in eastern Ukraine, initiated by the Russian Federation, is one of the main threats for Poland in 2016. “It wasn’t Poland that created the ice age, nor was it responsible for attacking other countries and it was not us who sent little green men to other countries in order to take away part of their territory,” Waszczykowski said.
“Therefore, if we are talking about problems, they …
-
Turkish citizens no longer have visa-free entry to Russia
Russia suspended the visa-free policy with Turkey effective the 1st of January 2016. The Presidential decree suspending the visa-free policy with Turkey is now in force. As noted by RSN Ankara, in response to Moscow's decision, Turkey is now refusing visas for Russian citizens. The bilateral visa-free agreement has been in place since 2011.
As previously reported, Russian authorities announced the abolition of the visa-free regime after a Russian Su-24 bomber was shot down by the Turkish Air …
-
Medvedev approves gas discount for Ukraine
Russian Prime Minister Dimitry Medvedev signed a decree detailing the discounted price of natural gas shipments from Russia to Ukraine. The tariff rates will remain the same until March 31, 2016. The documentation was posted on the official legal information web portal on Friday, January 1st.
The decree provides a formula that makes it possible to calculate the rate of fees on imports of low-carbon, “blue fuel” gas to Ukraine.
Most economists agree that, based on the contract price of gas at …
-
Putin's son-in-law received $1.75 billion Russian state loan
A Reuters report on information taken from public records about the government and the Sibur Company indicates that Russian President Vladimir Putin's son-in-law has received government funds for a lucrative construction project.
33-year-old Kirill Shamalov owns one fifth of the largest petrochemical company in Russia, Sibur Gas Processing and Petrochemicals. In December, Sibur received funds from the National Welfare Fund (NWF) for the construction of a large complex in the Tyumen region near …
-
Russia to end Ukraine’s supply of electricity to Crimea
It appears as though Moscow will end a contract with Kiev that ensures the delivery of electricity to the Crimea. Having illegally annexed the peninsula in early 2014, Russia insists that Ukraine remove any language from the contact that stipulates that the Crimea is part of Ukrainian territory. Kiev is determined not to give in.
Kremlin Press Secretary Dmitry Peskov asserted that if Ukraine does not agree to change the wording, Russia is most likely to abandon the contract. "It can be assumed …