Russia's Foreign Ministry expressed a "strong protest" to Japan on Friday, October 11, over Tokyo's plans to conduct large-scale military exercises with the United States later this month. The drills, specifically in regions near the island of Hokkaido, are described as being "in close proximity to Russian borders," according to the ministry.

The Russian ministry deemed these joint exercises "categorically unacceptable" and warned the Japanese embassy in Moscow about "inevitable adequate …

Fierce battles with Russian forces are ongoing in the Kursk region. Ukrainian Forces have managed to partially reclaim lost positions, but the Russian army has started amassing troops for another assault, according to Andriy Kovalenko, head of the Center for Countering Disinformation at the National Security and Defense Council.

"The war there is dynamic, with maneuvers characteristic of wooded areas. The situation is highly fluid, so it's important not to draw any conclusions as final," …

In a move potentially complicating the departure of foreign businesses, the Russian Finance Ministry has enforced stricter conditions under Kremlin directives. As reported by the Russian newspaper Kommersant, the minimum discount rate on the sale of foreign assets in Russia is set to increase from 50% to 60%. Additionally, the mandatory gratuitous contribution to the Russian budget will now rise from the current 15% to 35% of the asset's market value. The Finance Ministry has distributed these …