Contents tagged with Russia

  • Kremlin's catastrophic losses: comparing Russia's 500,000 troop casualties in Ukraine to historical wars

    As of the start of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine by Russia, Russian losses have reached 500,080 personnel, according to Ukrainian General Staff estimates. Earlier reports from Ukraine indicated this figure referred to the number of killed. However, in February 2024, General Staff representative Lieutenant Andriy Koval stated that this number includes not just deaths, but also injuries, deserters, and other loss categories. It remains uncertain if these statistics include the proxy forces …

  • Russia to set up 5-kilometre security zone on border with occupied Donbas

    Russian authorities have decided to establish a special zone on the border with the occupied region of Donbas, according to the Rostov region's officials.

    While Russian propaganda continues to loud hail the "integration" of the occupied territories of Donbas with Russia, the authorities of the Rostov region have taken the step to separate themselves from the so-called "DPR" and "LPR" by enforcing a 5-kilometre special zone, within which "a special legal regime" will be operational.

    This …

  • Putin authorizes retaliatory seizure of US assets

    Russian President Vladimir Putin has authorized the seizure of US assets to "compensate for damage" caused to the Russian state and the Central Bank "in connection with unfriendly actions" by Washington, according to the decree was signed on Thursday, 23 May.

    According to the decree, the government and the Bank of Russia have the right to seek legal action if they are "unreasonably" deprived of their property rights by decisions of American authorities or courts. Subsequently, a Russian court …

  • Putin dismisses commander of Russian 20th army amid complaints and military setbacks

    The Russian president, Vladimir Putin, has dismissed the commander of Russia's 20th Army, Surkhab Akhmedov, report Russian media outlets RT and RIA-Novosti on Friday, May 24, citing Vladimir Rogov, head of the Russian Public Chamber's Commission on Sovereignty, Patriotic Projects, and Veteran Support

    According to Russian sources, the reason for Akhmedov's dismissal may have been numerous complaints about him.

    In November 2022, troops from the 155th Brigade of the Pacific Fleet's Marine …

  • Poland detains nine suspected of Russian-ordered sabotage acts

    Polish authorities have detained nine individuals on suspicion of carrying out acts of sabotage on behalf of Russian intelligence services, the country's Prime Minister, Donald Tusk, announced on Tuesday, May 21. This concerns assaults, arson, and attempted arson, - he said, indicating that the individuals involved are mercenaries. According to Tusk, sometimes these individuals are from the criminal world, and this includes citizens of Ukraine, Belarus, and Poland.

    Specifically, Tusk pointed …

  • Former commander of Russian 58th Army detained on fraud charges

    A court in Russia has ordered the detention of Ivan Popov, former commander of the 58th Army of the Southern Military District, for two months, reports TASS, citing law enforcement agencies.

    According to the Russian news outlet, Popov has been accused of large-scale fraud. No further details have been provided by TASS.

    At the same time, the Telegram channel Mash reports that the Russian general has been accused of illegally selling 2,000 tonnes of metal structures worth approximately 100 …

  • Leaked documents reveal cozy ties between Russia's new Defence Minister and Wagner Group founder

    Newly appointed Russian Defence Minister Andrei Belousov has held meetings with the founder of the Wagner Group, a designated terrorist organisation, Yevgeny Prigozhin, and has been overseeing his activities, according to a report by the Dossier Center.

    An anonymous source revealed to journalists that "Belousov and Prigozhin were often seen sitting closely together, addressing each other informally—'Zhenya' and such. Their work meetings resembled family gatherings over tea—casually discussing …

  • Moscow court annuls $142 million IKEA deal amid sanctions, confiscates funds to state budget

    A commercial transaction involving OOO "Torg", the Russian entity of Swedish company IKEA, and its affiliated Irish firm Fami Limited, valued at 12.9 billion rubles ($142 million) ( for goods sold in Russia, has been annulled by the Moscow Region Arbitration Court. This amount is now mandated to be transferred to the Russian state budget, as reported by Russian-language media on Saturday, May 18.

    According to reports, the court's decision in response to a lawsuit filed by the Federal Tax …

  • Russian court seizes Deutsche Bank's assets amid legal dispute over EU sanctions compliance

    Arbitration Court of St. Petersburg and the Leningrad Region has seized assets, accounts, and securities of Deutsche Bank and its subsidiaries in Russia, amounting to €238.61 million, following a claim by Ruskhimalyans.

    Ruskhimalyans, a company established by Gazprom and Rusgazdobycha, operates the gas processing and liquefaction project in Ust-Luga. Deutsche Bank served as one of the guarantors for the Ruskhimalyans contract alongside Turkish Renaissance Heavy Industries and German Linde for …

  • Russian court freezes €463 million in UniCredit assets amid sanction dispute

    A Russian court has frozen assets belonging to UniCredit Bank in Russia valued at €463 million following a lawsuit filed by RusKhimAlliance, one of the operators involved in the construction of a gas processing complex. The assets were seized in connection with the bank's refusal to breach European sanctions.

    The gas processing complex in question, located in Ust-Luga, is a joint venture between Gazprom and RusGazDobycha. RusKhimAlliance’s lawsuit revolves around the suspension of work on this …