Ukraine

The European Commission will make a proposal Accelerating the phase-out Ursula von der Leyen, head of the European Union's executive branch, said Tuesday that she was concerned about Russian fossil imports after speaking with U.S. president Barack Obama. Donald Trump Von der Leyen stated that she spoke with Trump about a joint effort to increase economic pressure against Russia by taking additional measures. The U.S., and the European Union, import Russian energy and commodities worth billions of Euros, from liquefied gas to enriched Uranium. Von der Leyen posted a message on the social media platform X saying that "the Commission...

Radiy Khabirov, the regional governor of Bashkortostan in Russia, said that a company producing oil will continue to produce despite an attack by drone on Saturday. Ukraine intensified its attacks on Russian energy infrastructure to weaken Moscow's military capability, while peace negotiations are still stuck. The attack caused a fire to break out at an oil refinery operated by Bashneft. Rosneft is Russia's biggest oil producer. Bashneft operates four major oil and petrochemical refineries in the area. Khabirov didn't specify the facility that was targeted. Both drones that were downed fell onto the property of the company. In the first...

Robert Fico, the Prime Minister of Slovakia, said that Slovakia will not support any more European Union sanctions towards Russia until it receives EU proposals aligning climate targets to carmakers' and heavy industries' needs. Fico demanded also that measures be taken to reduce electricity prices across the EU. The EU is currently debating the 19th package in its sanctions against Russia for its invasion of Ukraine. EU diplomats said that a new package would likely include additional listings of Chinese companies and Russian banks, as well as vessels from Moscow's "shadow fleet" which evades sanctions. They also predicted a ban...

Donald Trump, U.S. president, said Sunday that he was ready to move into a second phase in sanctioning Russia. This is the closest he's come to implying he might be about to ramp up sanctions against Moscow and its oil purchasers over the war with Ukraine. Trump has repeatedly warned Moscow of further sanctions, but he withheld them while pursuing peace talks. Trump did not commit to a decision, nor did he specify what the second phase would entail. When asked by a White House reporter if he was ready to move on to the "second phase" of sanctions, Trump...

Ukraine's Prime Minister said that at least 14 people were injured in a Russian attack overnight on the northern Ukrainian region of Sumy. This included a family with 3 children. The strike occurred at a moment when President Donald Trump was making intense efforts to end the Russian war in Ukraine. Local prosecutors reported on Telegram that Russia had launched 15 drones early Wednesday morning in an attack on the Okhtyrka region. Yulia Shvyrydenko, the Prime Minister, wrote on X that the children who were injured in the attack in a residential area of the town were aged 5, 4...

Bartering is returning to Russia for the first since the chaos in the 1990s. Settlement problems caused by the conflict in Ukraine forced one Chinese company, at least, to exchange engines for steel and aluminum alloys. The economic and political chaos that followed the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, was a result of spiraling inflation and chronic funding shortages. This forced businesses across the country to accept payment in kind. The barter system, however, caused even more economic chaos as a vast network of contingent deals was set up to buy everything from flour and sugar to electricity...

Donald Trump stated on Thursday that, he believes that Russian President Vladimir Putin is willing to make a deal and that sanctions against Russia played a part in Moscow wanting a meeting. Trump is scheduled Meet Putin on Friday in Alaska. The U.S. President said that he was unsure if an immediate ceasefire could be achieved, but expressed his interest in brokering peace agreements. "He really, I think now, is he convinced that he will make a bargain, he will make a bargain." Trump told Fox News Radio that he believes he will, and they would find out. Early in...

Nayara Energy, a Russian-backed Indian refiner, said it was in contact with government officials and partners on Thursday to ensure the operational stability of its 400,000 bar per day refinery. Last month, the EU sanctioned the private refiner owned by Russian companies, including Rosneft. This was part of an EU package that targeted entities associated with Russian oil. In a court filing in Delhi, the private company said that it sold 70% of its refined fuels to Indian consumers through more than 6,600 retail outlets. Nayara said that it supplies fuels through its coastal, rail and road networks to its...

Authorities reported on Wednesday that a small fire started by debris from an abandoned drone at the Slavyansk Oil Refinery in Russia’s Krasnodar region was quickly extinguished. The Russian defence ministry announced on Telegram that 46 Ukrainian drones were destroyed overnight by their air defense units, including five in the Krasnodar area. The ministry only reports drones that were downed and not the number of drones launched by Ukraine. The administration announced on Telegram that there were no reported casualties. The fire was quickly extinguished. "Emergency and special services have arrived at the scene." The regional administration posted that a...

Local emergency services reported on Thursday that a fire caused by drone debris at the Afipsky refinery, in Russia's Krasnodar Region, had been extinguished. The Russian Defence Ministry reported that air defence systems shot down nine Ukrainian drones overnight over the region. The extent of damage to the Afipsky Refinery was not immediately known. This refinery along with the Krasnodar Refinery processed 7.2 millions metric tons crude oil by 2024. According to market sources, the disruption at Afipsky may result in a lower use of crude oil and could potentially add extra barrels to Russia’s exports for August. Drone attacks...

Veniamin Kodratyev, the regional governor of the Russian city Sochi, said on Telegram early Sunday that more than 120 firefighters are trying to put out a fire at an oil depot which was caused by a drone attack from Ukraine. The Russian news agency RIA reported that a fuel storage tank in the Krasnodar Region, where Sochi is situated, was on fire. Rosaviatsia (Russia's civil aviation authority) said on Telegram flights at Sochi airport were stopped to ensure safety. The reports could not be independently verified. Ukraine has not yet responded. This attack on the infrastructure in Russia, which Kyiv...

Ukraine's Military said Saturday it had hit oil facilities in Russia. This included a major refinery, a drone airfield and an electronics manufacturing factory. Ukraine's Unmanned Systems Forces released a statement via Telegram stating that they had struck the oil refinery at Ryazan (about 180 km southeast of Moscow) and caused a fire in its premises. The USF also said that the Annanefteprodukt storage facility, which borders the northeastern Ukraine, had been hit. The USF is a specialist in drone warfare and long-range attacks. Russia has not yet commented on the reported attack on its infrastructure. Separately the Ukrainian intelligence...

Two industry sources reported on Monday that one of Russia's biggest oil refineries in the town of Kirishi (northwest) had halted an important processing unit after a Ukrainian drone attacked over the weekend. Ukraine intensified its attacks on Russia's infrastructure to damage Moscow's war effort, as the talks to end the conflict have stagnated. Russian officials have said Surgutneftegaz's Kirishinefteorgsintez plant, one of Russia's top two refineries, was among the targets attacked by Ukrainian drones last Sunday. Alexander Drozdenko is the Governor of Leningrad Region. He said that three drones had been destroyed in the Kirishi region and that a...

Enkorr, a Ukrainian energy consultancy, announced on Monday that Ukraine would restrict the importation of diesel fuel from India, a country which buys a large portion of its crude oils from Russia. A-95 said in a report earlier this month, that traders were forced to import diesel fuel from India due to the loss of an important Ukrainian oil refinery during this summer. Even the Ukrainian Defence Ministry has purchased some Indian fuel because it meets post-Soviet standard. Drones and missiles have been used by Russia to attack Ukrainian refineries of oil and fuel and their storage facilities. Enkorr reports...

Andriy Hanotov, the chief of the general staff of Ukraine, was quoted on Sunday as saying that Ukraine could intentionally reduce the quality mobile communications when Russian drones attack to prevent the networks from being used to coordinate attacks. In the last few months, Russia, three and a half year into the conflict, has intensified drone attacks against Ukraine, improving its technology and increasing drone deployments to maximize damage to strategic targets. Hnatov said to Ukrainian online video channel Novyny Live that the issue is not one of a disruption in mobile communications but a limitation on communication quality, such...

Aleksandar Vucic, the president of Serbia, said that Serbia is hoping for a better cooperation with Russia. Vucic, along with Russian President Vladimir Putin, took part in the regional security summit held in Beijing. The Chinese hope to use this event as a counterweight to Western influence on global affairs. Vucic stated that "cooperation with Russia at the highest levels is very important for Serbia. This is especially true in the areas of energy and Russian supplies of gas," at the beginning of the meeting with Putin. Serbia is aspiring to be a member of the European Union. However, Russia,...

Trade sources and LSEG data show that at least two ships loaded with Russian crude oil bound for refiners located in India were diverted due to new U.S. Sanctions. This week, the U.S. Treasury Department imposed sanctions against more than 115 Iran linked individuals, entities and ships. Some of these vessels are involved in transporting Russian crude oil. Donald Trump, the U.S. president, has warned that he will impose 100% tariffs on all oil purchases from Moscow unless Russia signs a peace agreement with Ukraine. Trade sources reported that three ships, the Aframaxes Tagor, Guanyin, and Suezmax Tassos were to...

Industry sources claim that Indian state refiners stopped buying Russian crude oil last week, as the discounts have narrowed in this month. Donald Trump has also warned other countries against purchasing oil from Moscow. India, which is the third largest oil importer in the world, is the top buyer of Russian crude by sea. This revenue stream for Russia, as it continues to wage war against Ukraine, has been vital for the country. Four sources familiar with the refiners’ plans to purchase Russian crude have told us that the country's state-owned refiners, Indian Oil Corp., Hindustan Petroleum Corp., Bharat Petroleum...

Kherson, a Ukrainian city on the frontline of the conflict with Russia for three years, has more reasons than others to want to see an end to it. They are wary of talks because they have experienced occupation and constant attacks after Russian forces were pushed out. Serhiy (64), a security guard, is lying in a hospital with his foot bandaged. He claimed he was on his way to work as a security guard, when he was struck by a grenade that was dropped by a drone operated by Russian forces. He refused to reveal his family name, and asked...

The parliament approved the creation of a state-owned investment vehicle that will oversee government investments in some the largest companies. It is similar to Singapore's Temasek investment arm. Soon after Prabowo Subito assumed office in October, the creation of Daya Anagata Nusantara Investment Management Agency (Danantara) was announced with the goal of improving performance and returns on state investments. Danantara will have an initial capital of at least 1,000 trillion Rupiah (61 billion dollars). Sufmi dasco Ahmad, deputy speaker to parliament, told reporters that it would take over the State-Owned Enterprises Ministry's holdings in all state-owned companies. State companies play...

The Druzhba pipeline will stay Hungary's primary route for crude oil imports, Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto said on Thursday after talks with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in Minsk on the sidelines of a conference. The pipeline transfers Russian crude through Belarus and Ukraine to Hungary and also Slovakia. Supplies resumed last month to Hungary's energy business MOL 's refineries after a halt to deliveries following Kyiv's addition of Russian company Lukoil to a sanctions list in June. In contrast to many other European Union nations, Hungary seeks to preserve close political and organization ties to Russia, consisting of dependence...

The Kremlin said on Wednesday that Ukrainian strikes on Russian oil facilities had a very little impact thanks to the work of Russia's air defence units and other defensive procedures. Ukraine has actually stepped up attacks on Russian oil refineries and depots with drones from the start of the year. Moscow calls the attacks terrorist acts. Ukraine says they are vindictive. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said measures were being required to guarantee such strikes did not affect energy supplies to the Russian individuals and economy. Thanks to protective procedures and the efficiency of the air defences, the effectiveness of these...

Russian secondlargest oil manufacturer Lukoil prepares to resume operations at its harmed CDU6 main unit and catalytic cracker at the NORSI oil refinery in June following maintenance, 3 market sources stated on Friday. Lukoil did not right away respond to a request for comment. Among the sources stated that the CDU-6 main unit, where operations were halted in March following a fire, could be tentatively back up as early as Saturday. The resumption will enable the catalytic cracker, which has been idled for maintenance given that January, to get feedstocks. It could return to operations on June 10, another source...

Russia's Lukoil last week restarted an essential production unit at its Volgograd refinery, the biggest in southern Russia, which was shut earlier this month after being harmed in a drone attack, 2 market sources informed on Monday. The plant, with production capability of some 300,000 barrels per day (bpd), ignited on May 12 following a drone strike, local authorities stated. Sources stated the CDU-1 unit had been damaged in the attack. Lukoil did not right away reply to a request for comment. Ukraine does not formally confirm or reject attacks on oil refineries inside Russia, but it states the centers...