The Japanese government has expressed regret over Russia's missile exercises on the South Kuril island of Iturup, reported the Japanese newspaper Yomiuri.

After Russia notified Japan of the missile tests, Japan sent a corresponding statement expressing its regret through the Japanese Embassy in Moscow to the Russian authorities. Russia quickly dismissed Japan’s allegations. Japanese authorities also warned shipping companies and fishermen about the Russian exercises in the area.

On June 11, …

Renowned ship-spotter and international affairs consultant Yörük Işık reported on twitter that two missile corvettes from the Russian Navy’s Caspian Flotilla entered the Mediterranean Sea.

The report identified the ships as two Buyan M-class corvettes, the Veliky Ustyug 651 and the Grad Sviyazhsk 652, both armed with SS-N-30 Kalibr land attack cruise missiles. The ships passed through the Bosporus, bound for the Mediterranean.

Işık noted that the ships were likely headed to a Russian military …

Europe continues to cut back on its oil purchases from Russia due to the dropping quality of the Urals variety.

At the end of January-May, shipments to the EU through the primary ports of export fell by double-digit figures, Transneft vice president Sergey Andronov told Vedomosti.

European clients bought 24% less from Primorsk than last year (16.1 million tons). Shipments out of Novorossiysk fell by 17% (to 7.7 million tons), and shipments from Ust-Luga by 26%.

Only the export volumes to …