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Russia overtakes Uganda in global corruption rating
Russia has gone up one level on the international corruption perceptions rating published annually by Transparency International, reports finanz.ru.
In the 2019 index, out of 180 countries, Russia tied for positions 137 through 146 with Kenya, Liberia, Mauritania, Papua New Guinea and Uganda.
Just below Russia, in positions 146 through 153, are Iran, Honduras, Bangladesh, Angola and the Comoros islands. Just above are Guinea, Mexico, Myanmar and Mali.
Of the former Soviet states, Russia only …
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Bulgarian prosecutors accuse three Russians of poisoning businessman
Bulgaria has accused three Russians of poisoning the businessman Emilian Gebrev, as well as his son and a director of his company. The Bulgarian prosecutor’s office published the statement on its official website on Wednesday, January 23.
The poisoning was reportedly carried out using an “unidentified phosphorus-organic substance” in the spring of 2015. The department has issued a European order for the Russians’ arrest, and placed them on the international wanted list.
In autumn 2019, a …
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Putin-Zelensky meeting in Jerusalem did not take place
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky did not meet with his Russian colleague Vladimir Putin in Jerusalem, Kremlin Spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told the TASS news agency in a comment.
“No, there was not [a meeting]. Zelensky, unfortunately, canceled his trip to the Holocaust victims memorial forum,” said Peskov.
In a comment to other Russian media outlets, he added that “the leaders did not even greet each other”.
On January 23, the World Holocaust Forum on the 75th anniversary of the …
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Kremlin wants to rid Russia of imported electronics
The Russian government has confirmed its strategy to make the country a “global leader” in the electronics industry by 2030.
According to the document, which was signed on January 17 by recently appointed Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin and published on the Cabinet of Minister’s website on Wednesday, domestic electronics should account for 60% of Russia’s electronics market in 10 years’ time.
This will involve a broad range of products, from integrated chips and processors to cellphones, TVs …
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Belarus to cut back Russian oil imports by half
Belarus will be reducing its imports of Russian oil by a factor of 2-3, said President Alexander Lukashenko.
Although there are no 100% alternatives to Russia’s supply at present, Belarusian refineries need to diversify their sources of crude oil, Lukashenko emphasized during a meeting on refinery growth on Tuesday.
“We need to move towards buying 30-40% of our oil from Russia. 30% we should bring in from the Baltics and 30% through Ukraine – an already tested route,” the Belarusian state …