The Bank of Russia is considering the possibility of introducing a supranational digital currency within the BRICS or the Eurasian Economic Union (EEU), Central Bank first deputy chairperson Olga Skorobogatova told reporters, Finanz.ru reports.

“We are continuing the work to investigate this matter. A matter which seems to us advisable to discuss on with our colleagues is the possibility of introducing a supranational digital currency in EEU territory or within the BRICS. There are many …

Beginning January 1, the export duty on oil in Russia has increased by $6.4 per ton, rising from $105 to $111.4.

As Interfax reports, citing information from the Ministry of Economic Development, the preferential duty rate on crude oil from Eastern Siberia, the Caspian fields and Prirazlomnoye field will remain at zero, based on a new formula adopted within the framework of a tax maneuver for the oil sector. Beginning January 1, the duty on high-viscosity crude Increased to $17.9 from $16.8 in …

The British edition of the Financial Times recognized Ukraine as the leader among all post-Soviet countries in improving the business climate, according to Prime Minister Volodymyr Groysman’s Facebook post on the first day of the New Year.

"Good news: the Financial Times recognized Ukraine as the first among all the post-Soviet countries in improving the business climate. The indicators of the pace of development of our state turned out to be the best," the head of government wrote.

He also …

In 2018, Italy replaced Austria as Chair of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe or OSCE. As Italian Foreign Minister Angelino Alfano said on January 1, during its period of leadership, Rome plans to center its efforts mainly on resolving a refugee crisis in the Mediterranean region.

Alfano also said that the organization will continue to closely monitor the situation in eastern Ukraine. The conflict in the Donbas and around Ukraine “challenges the very fundamental …

Ukrainska Pravda reports that Japan will simplify the visa regime for citizens of Ukraine, effective January 1, 2018.

The Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Japan to Ukraine, Shigeki Sumi made the announcement during a welcoming speech on the occasion of the end of the year of Japan in Ukraine."Thanks to the implementation of the year of Japan, the JICA office (Japan International Cooperation Agency) in Ukraine has been opened, and from January 1, 2018, the visa regime for …

Russian oligarchs have begun to dispose of assets ahead of the publication of the US Finance Ministry’s report on businessmen who are close to the Kremlin and may be placed under sanctions.

As TASS reported with reference to information from the London Stock Exchange, at the end of December a large block of shares in the Petropavlovsk gold-mining company was sold by billionaire Viktor Vekselberg, who is number 10 on the Russian Forbes list with $12.4 billion.

The Petropavlovsk shares were …

The Ukrainian military opened fire during an operation to detain a foreign ship accused of smuggling in the Black Sea, the Navy of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported on Facebook on January 1.

"After ascertaining the futility of an attempted escape from the Ukrainian military boat, the vessel made contact and was questioned according to the procedures established by international maritime law. However, the violating vessel did not comply with the request to stop. In order to force an end to …

 The Russian Foreign Ministry believes that mass unrest in Iran should be considered part of the country’s internal affairs, Russia’s TASS news agency reports. The Foreign Ministry also expressed hope that the situation will develop without bloodshed in the future.

"External interference destabilizing the situation is inadmissible," the Foreign Ministry added.

Protests across a number of major Iranian cities began on Thursday, December 28, in Meshed. The demonstrators took to the streets, …