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Ukraine unveils key individuals behind Russia's sanction-evading 'shadow fleet'
The Main Intelligence Directorate of Ukraine’s Ministry of Defense has released new data on the captains steering Russia's elusive "shadow" tanker fleet. Captains hold ultimate authority on a ship, possessing vital knowledge about its ownership, the value of its cargo, and the vessel’s conditions. According to this fresh disclosure on the War&Sanctions website, information about 57 captains and 45 vessels involved in transporting sanctioned oil is now in the public domain. Some of these tankers …
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Sudan and Russia finalize naval base agreement
Sudan's Foreign Minister Ali Yusuf Sharif announced that Sudan and Russia are is in full agreement on establishing a Russian naval base in Sudan.
This statement was made during a joint press conference with Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. The agreement for constructing the naval facility in Port Sudan was initially signed in 2020, with discussions starting as early as 2017.
The base is intended to host up to four Russian ships and no more than 300 personnel. The agreement faced …
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Russian regions hit with massive drone attack
In the Russian city of Lipetsk, a woman sustained injuries following a drone incident, according to Lipetsk regional governor Igor Artamonov.
As reported on Thursday, February 13, via his Telegram channel, debris from the unmanned aerial vehicle left the employee of the Lipetsk Aeration Station, a key water treatment facility in southern Lipetsk, with shrapnel wounds. She has since been hospitalized.
Significantly, the station is located near the Novolipetsk Steel Plant, highlighted as one of …
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Russia faces arsenal depletion, turns to North Korea for military support
Defense analyst Serhiy Zghurets reports that Russia is facing challenges in rebuilding its military stockpiles. However, the Kremlin may have found an ally in North Korea, which has been eager to bolster Russia's arsenal. Despite ongoing conflicts on the Ukrainian front, Russia is struggling to keep up with the equipment losses.
In an interview on Espreso TV aired on February 12, Zghurets of Defense Express highlighted the depletion of some of Russia's most combat-ready Soviet-era stockpiles, …
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Putin's financial safety net melts away: Russia's National Wealth Fund could run out Sooner than expected
As Russia grapples with economic challenges, its primary financial cushion—the National Wealth Fund—could become depleted within six months if oil prices significantly drop.
The National Wealth Fund, once bolstered by substantial revenues from oil and gas, is rapidly diminishing. Since the large-scale invasion of Ukraine, this financial buffer has been utilized to plug budget gaps but is now shrinking significantly.
By February 1, the liquid assets of the fund, which include gold and foreign …
