• US Adds Five Names to the Magnitsky List of Sanctioned Russians

    The U.S Treasury Department reported that five additional people have been placed on the Magnitsky sanctions list. A Sevastopol native and former Deputy Interior Minister of Russia, Alex Anichin, as well as Yevgeny Antonov, Boris Kibis, Pavel Lapshov and Oleg Urzumtsev (all citizens of the Russian Federation) were added to the list.

    The US State Department has clarified that the Russians were included to the Magnistky list on the basis of reliable information concerning human rights violations. …

  • The Military Exercises “Brave Band” Started in Poland

    Soldiers from Ukraine, Lithuania and Poland are involved in military exercises currently taking place in Lublin, Poland.

    These “Brave Band” military exercises involves the participation of the national team of military servicemen from Ukraine, Lithuania and Poland.  This is according to the Press Service of the Defense Ministry of Ukraine.

    “The combat training will last two weeks.  During this period, approximately 100 officers from Ukraine, Lithuania and Poland will acquire military skills …

  • Russian Freight Carriers No Longer Allowed In Poland and Turkey

    Russian labor permit agreements in the cargo business with Poland and Turkey have expired. Negotiations to renew them have been unsuccessful for different reasons. Cargo transportation between Russia and the two nations has consequently stopped completely. 

    Poland has not yet renewed permits for Russian freight forwarders from Kaliningrad due to dissatisfaction with Russia’s new legislative requirements. According to them, conditions for foreign freight companies appeared to be seriously …

  • Merkel plans to extend sanctions against Russia due to non-compliance with Minsk Agreements

    A joint press conference was held on Monday in Berlin with the President of Ukraine, Petro Poroshenko, and the Chancellor of Germany, Angela Merkel in which Merkel stated that the sanctions against Russia will be extended due to the non-implementation of the Minsk Agreements.

    “We have to extend sanctions against Russia as we take into consideration the fact that the Minsk Agreements have still not been put into effect.  The implementation of these agreements should be a precondition for …

  • Gazprom's Position Falls in Ranking of World's Top Companies

    According to the analytical company Brand Finance, Gazprom has fallen in the rankings of the world’s most expensive leading brands.  The Russian gas monopoly has lost 187 positions from last year, to 299th place in the new ranking. This report was published on the 1st of February.

    First place on the list is currently held by Apple.  Second and third are held by Google and Samsung respectively.  There were also two fewer Russian companies in the updated list: sales network Magnit and …