Latest news with #Moscow-based
The Sun
2 days ago
- Politics
- The Sun
Argentina says Russian spy ring promoted disinformation
BUENOS AIRES: Argentina said it has detected Russian spies operating in the country to promote Moscow's interests through disinformation campaigns and fake news. Presidential spokesman Manuel Adorni said intelligence officers identified an organisation called 'The Company,' allegedly linked to Russia's government and Project Lakhta, which the United States says is a Moscow-based operation conducting political interference. Russian citizen Lev Konstantinovich Andriashvili, based in Argentina, allegedly headed the organisation with his wife Irina Yakovenko, also a Russian. Both were responsible for 'receiving financing and promoting links with local collaborators,' Adorni said in a statement Wednesday. The group's goal was 'to form a group of people loyal to Russia's interests' to carry out disinformation campaigns against the Argentine state, the spokesman added. The Russian spy network created and disseminated content on social media, influencing local civil organizations and NGOs, developing focus groups with Argentine citizens and obtaining political information for Russia, he added. 'Argentina will not be subjected to the influence of any other nation,' Adorni said, adding that 'the safety of Argentines is not a secondary matter.' According to the US Treasury Department, Project Lakhta is a Russian disinformation campaign targeting audiences in the United States, Europe, Ukraine and even Russia itself.
Euronews
3 days ago
- Politics
- Euronews
African Initiative: Russian-backed outlet peddles influence in Africa
The African Initiative presents itself as a Moscow-based news agency that covers events across the continent, aiming to "mutually expand the knowledge of Russians and Africans about each other." But in reality, it has been classified as the "main vehicle" for Russia's disinformation activities across Africa, according to a new report by Vignium, the French agency which monitors foreign digital interference. Many individuals who run the African Initiative have affiliations with Russian intelligence services, while others have been identified as former members of the Wagner paramilitary group. The African Initiative was launched in September 2023, just a month after Yevgeny Prigozhin — one of Wagner's founders and its leader — died in a plane crash. Prigozhin had played an instrumental role in promoting Russian interests on the African continent. Following his death, Moscow rushed to replace Wagner-run operations across the African continent. The outlet publishes its content on various websites in several languages, including on Telegram — where it boasts 70,000 subscribers across its channels — as well as on various Facebook and TikTok accounts. In addition to publishing articles and digital content, the outlet uses local fronts and soft power initiatives like journalism schools and press trips to embed itself within local communities. For instance, in June the outlet organised a conference which aimed to dismantle "myths, negative narratives" about Russia and instead to build opportunities to "create an objective image of Russia on the African continent." The African Initiative has also been pushing to develop its activities in the former French colonies of Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso, which make up the Alliance of the Sahel States — a union that Russia was the first country to recognise. West African countries under the control of juntas have distanced themselves from France and other former Western allies — criticising failed interventions against Islamist extremists and their colonial legacies — and instead turning to Russia. Following Prigozhin's death, Moscow launched a new paramilitary group, "Africa Corps", which is believed to be managed and closely monitored by Russia's Defence Ministry, as part of the Kremlin's plan to tighten its grip on ongoing operations across Africa. Israel has started flying home citizens stranded overseas during the conflict with Iran, with two flights from Cyprus landing in Tel Aviv on Wednesday morning. Israel's airspace has been closed since the country launched a surprise airstrike campaign against Iran on Friday. Iran has retaliated with hundreds of drones and missiles. A total of 13 repatriation flights were scheduled on Wednesday from Larnaca to Israel, with nine to Haifa and four to Tel Aviv, according to an airport operator in Cyprus. Israel's transport ministry says that up to 150,000 Israelis are currently outside the country, about a third of whom are trying to return home. Many Israelis stranded abroad have ended up in Cyprus, which is the closest EU country to Israel. The jets of Israel's three airlines have been moved to Larnaca since the conflict with Iran began last week. The conflict has forced most countries in the Middle East to close their airspace. Dozens of airports have halted all flights or significantly reduced operations, leaving tens of thousands of passengers stranded and others unable to flee the conflict or return home. At least 400 Israeli citizens are reported to be stranded along Bulgaria's Black Sea coast. One of those tourists, Galid, told Euronews that she did not know when she and her family would be able to return home to Israel. "We can't go back now. We can't. We'll have to stay here with the children and wait. Nothing can be done right now. That's it. It's war," Galid said. Two other tourists, Eden and Itai, stated that they had ruled out the possibility of flying to Jordan or Egypt and then entering Israel through the land border because they had a young child. The hotels where the stranded Israelis are staying in Bulgaria have been placed under increased police presence and security measures in recent days. Israel's national carrier El Al has said it intends to operate dozens of flights to repatriate Israelis from various European capitals such as Athens, Rome and Paris. Smaller carrier Arkia will fly back Israeli citizens from Greece, Cyprus and Montenegro, while Israir is operating flights for the country's stranded tourists from Cyprus, Greece and Bulgaria. However, passenger flights are still not departing from Israel, which means that tens of thousands of tourists are currently stranded in the country. Israeli airstrikes hit Iran's capital Tehran overnight and into Wednesday morning, as Iran launched a small barrage of missiles at Israel with no reports of casualties. The attacks between the bitter rivals have opened a new chapter in their turbulent recent history. Many in the region fear a wider conflict as they watch waves of missiles fly across their skies every night. A Washington-based Iranian human rights group, Human Rights Activists, says at least 585 people, including 239 civilians, have been killed and more than 1,300 wounded by Israel's strikes on Iran. Since Friday, Iran has fired about 400 missiles and hundreds of drones in retaliatory strikes that have killed at least 24 people in Israel, all civilians, and wounded hundreds, according to Israeli authorities.
CNBC
06-06-2025
- Business
- CNBC
Russia's ruble rockets: The curious case of the world's best-performing currency this year
In the midst of a long-drawn war, declining oil prices, stiff sanctions, and an economy that's on the downhill, Russia's ruble has been rising. In fact, it is the world's best-performing currency so far this year, according to Bank of America, with gains of over 40%. The ruble's stunning rally in 2025 marks a sharp reversal from the past two years when the currency had depreciated dramatically. What's powering the Russian currency? The strength in the ruble has less to do with a sudden jump in foreign investors' confidence than with capital controls and policy tightening, market watchers told CNBC. The weakness in the dollar comes as an added bonus. Brendan McKenna, international economist and foreign exchange strategist at Wells Fargo, lists three reasons for the ruble's rally. "The central bank has opted to keep rates relatively elevated, capital controls and other FX restrictions have tightened a bit, and [there's been] some progress or attempt at progress in finding a peace between Russia and Ukraine." Russia's central bank has maintained a restrictive stance to curtail high inflation, keeping domestic interest rates high at 21% and tightening credit. The steep borrowing costs are deterring local businesses from importing goods, in turn reducing demand for foreign currency among Russian businesses and consumers, said industry watchers. There's been a decline in foreign currency demand from local importers, given weak consumption and the adequate supply of ruble, said Andrei Melaschenko, an economist at Renaissance Capital. That decline has given the ruble a boost as banks don't need to sell rubles to buy the dollar or yuan. Russian exporters need to be paid in rubles, or at least convert dollar payment into rubles, thereby increasing demand. Importers, on the other hand, have stopped purchasing foreign goods, and so do not need to sell rubles to pay in dollars. In the first quarter of 2025, there was an "overstocking" in consumer electronics, cars and trucks which were actively imported in the second half of last year in anticipation of the increase in import duties, said the Moscow-based economist. The consumer activity cooldown was primarily in the durable goods sector, which made up a sizable portion of Russia's imports, Melaschenko said. Another key reason the Russian ruble has strengthened this year is that Russian exporters, in particular the oil industry, have been converting foreign earnings back into rubles, analysts said. The Russian government requires large exporters to bring a portion of their foreign earnings back into the country and exchange them for rubles on the local market, according to the government. Between January and April, the sales of foreign currencies by the largest exporters in Russia totaled $42.5 billion, data from CBR showed. This is almost a 6% jump compared to the four months before January. CBR shrinking money supply is also supporting ruble, said Steve Hanke, professor of applied economics at Johns Hopkins University. In August 2023, the rate of growth in the money created by the CBR was soaring at 23.9% per year, he said. This figure has turned negative since January — currently contracting at a rate of -1.19% per year, said Hanke. Further, hopes for a peace deal between Ukraine and Russia following the election of U.S. President Donald Trump had also sparked some optimism, said Wells Fargo's McKenna. Expectations of Russia's reintegration into the economy had prompted some capital flows back into ruble-denominated assets, in spite of the capital controls, which have supported the currency's strength to some extent. Despite the ruble's current strength, analysts caution that it may not be sustainable. Oil prices—a major pillar of Russia's export economy — have fallen significantly this year, which could weigh on FX inflows. "We believe that the ruble is close to its maximum and may begin to weaken in the near future," Melaschenko said. "Oil prices have fallen significantly, which should be reflected in a decrease in export revenue and the sale of its foreign currency component," he added. While peace talks between Russia and Ukraine recently have not wielded any concrete developments, McKenna also noted that a concrete peace deal could erode ruble's strength as the controls such as the FX restrictions that have supported the currency might be lifted. "Ruble can selloff pretty rapidly going forward, especially if a peace or ceasefire is reached," he said. "In that scenario, capital controls probably get fully lifted and the central bank might cut rates rather quickly," he added. Exporters are also seeing slimmer margins, industry analysts noted, in particular the country's oil sector against the backdrop of declining global oil prices. The government, too, is feeling the squeeze — lower oil prices combined with a stronger ruble are eroding oil and gas revenues. The government's finances are highly sensitive to fluctuations in crude prices, with oil and gas earnings making up around 30% of federal revenues in 2024, according Heli Simola, senior economist at the Bank of Finland. "The Ministry of Finance has been forced to lean more heavily on the National Welfare Fund to cover spending," Melaschenko said. "And there may be further cuts to non-priority expenditures if this trend continues." That said, aside from the oil trade, Russia has been mostly isolated from the global marketplace. "Meaning, a weaker RUB does not add much to Russia's trade competitiveness," said McKenna.
Japan Today
02-06-2025
- Politics
- Japan Today
Putin's tough stance on a Ukraine peace plan shows his resolve on Russia's demands
By making harsh, uncompromising demands in peace talks with Ukraine while continuing to pummel it with waves of missiles and drones, Russian President Vladimir Putin is sending a clear message: He will only accept a settlement on his terms and will keep fighting until they're met. At the same time, he has sought to avoid angering U.S. President Donald Trump by praising his diplomacy and declaring Moscow's openness to peace talks — even as he set maximalist conditions that are rejected by Kyiv and the West. Trump, who once promised to end the 3-year-old war in 24 hours, has upended the U.S. policy of isolating Russia by holding calls with Putin and denigrating Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. At the same time, however, Trump warned Putin against 'tapping me along' and threatened Moscow with sanctions if it fails to back his peace proposals. In recent days, Trump signaled he was losing patience with Putin, declaring the Russian leader had gone 'crazy' by stepping up aerial attacks on Ukraine. He also said: 'What Vladimir Putin doesn't realize is that if it weren't for me, lots of really bad things would have already happened to Russia, and I mean REALLY BAD. He's playing with fire!' Dmitry Medvedev, a former Russian president who serves as deputy head of Putin's Security Council, fired back: 'I only know of one REALLY BAD thing — WWIII. I hope Trump understands this!' Fyodor Lukyanov, a Moscow-based analyst familiar with Kremlin thinking, said Putin is engaged in a 'psychological game' with Trump, with both men thinking they understand each other well. 'Putin's tactics is apparently based on an assumption that the issue has a lesser priority for his interlocutor, who wants to get rid of it one way or another, while for the Russian side, nothing compares to it in importance,' Lukyanov wrote a commentary. 'In this logic, the one who sees it as something of lesser importance will eventually make concessions.' While Ukraine's European allies urge Trump to ramp up sanctions against Moscow to force it to accept a ceasefire, some fear that Trump may end up distancing the U.S. from the conflict. If the U.S. halts or reduces military aid to Kyiv, it would badly erode Ukraine's fighting capability. Kyiv already is experiencing a weapons shortage, particularly air defense systems, leaving it increasingly vulnerable to Russian missile and drone attacks. Across the over 1,000-kilometer front line, the exhausted and outgunned Ukrainian troops are facing increasing Russian pressure. This month, Russian forces accelerated their slow push across the Donetsk region, the focus of Moscow's offensive, grinding through Ukrainian defenses at the quickest pace since last fall. Russia also expanded its attacks in the northeastern Sumy and Kharkiv regions following Putin's promise to create a buffer zone along the border. Many observers expect Russia to expand its offensive over the summer to try to capture more land and set even tougher conditions for peace. 'Moscow thinks its leverage over Ukraine will build over time, and since Trump has strongly implied that he will withdraw from negotiations the Russian military is set to intensify its operations,' said Jack Watling of the Royal United Services Institute in London. He predicted Russia would intensify efforts to take all of the Donetsk region while also pressing a bombing campaign. 'The Kremlin will want to suggest a deteriorating situation as negotiations continue and to signal to Europe that the rear is not safe, to discourage European militaries from putting forces in country,' Watling said in an analysis. Sergei Markov, a pro-Kremlin, Moscow-based analyst, said the long-expected offensive hasn't yet begun in earnest as Russia is cautious not to anger Trump. 'If Kyiv derails peace talks, the Russian army will start a big offensive,' he said. Putin has demanded that Ukraine withdraw its forces from Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson — the four regions that Russia illegally annexed in September 2022 but never fully controlled. That demand had been rejected by Kyiv and its allies, but the Russian delegation reportedly repeated it during talks with Ukraine in Istanbul on May 16. Those talks, the first since botched negotiations in the opening weeks of the war, came after Putin effectively rejected a 30-day truce proposed by Trump that was accepted by Kyiv. Russia had linked such a ceasefire to a halt in Ukraine's mobilization effort and a freeze on Western arms supplies. Putin proposed talks to discuss conditions for a possible truce. Trump quickly prodded Kyiv to accept the offer, but the negotiations yielded no immediate progress except an agreement to exchange 1,000 prisoners each. Russia offered to hold another round of talks Monday in Istanbul, where it said it will present a memorandum setting conditions for ending hostilities. It refused to share the document before the negotiations. Some observers see the talks as an attempt by Putin to assuage Trump's growing impatience. 'Putin has devised a way to offer Trump an interim, tangible outcome from Washington's peace efforts without making any real concessions,' said Tatiana Stanovaya of the Carnegie Russia Eurasia Center. Facing Western accusations of stalling, the Kremlin responded that the conflict can't be resolved quickly and emphasized the need to address its 'root causes.' When Putin invaded Ukraine, he said the move was needed to prevent Ukraine from joining NATO and protect Russian speakers in the country -– arguments strongly rejected by Kyiv and its Western allies as a cover for an unprovoked act of aggression. Along with those demands, Putin also wants limits on Ukraine's sovereignty, including the size of Ukraine's military, and for Kyiv to end what Moscow sees as glorification of Ukraine's World War II-era nationalist leaders, some of whom sided with the invading forces of Nazi Germany over the Soviet leadership in the Kremlin. Seeking to underline that Moscow will press home its initial demands, Putin appointed his aide Vladimir Medinsky to lead the Russian delegation in Istanbul. He also led the Russian side in the 2022 talks. Kyiv reportedly has asked the U.S. to encourage Putin to replace him. The soft-spoken, 54-year-old career bureaucrat, who was born in Ukraine, ascended through the Kremlin ranks after writing a series of books exposing purported Western plots against Russia. In an interview with Russian state television after the May 16 talks, Medinsky pointed to Russia's 18th century war with Sweden that lasted 21 years, a signal that Moscow is prepared to fight for a long time until its demands are met. 'History repeats itself in a remarkable way,' he said. © Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
01-06-2025
- Politics
Putin's tough stance on a Ukraine peace plan shows his resolve on Russia's demands
By making harsh, uncompromising demands in peace talks with Ukraine while continuing to pummel it with waves of missiles and drones, Russian President Vladimir Putin is sending a clear message: He will only accept a settlement on his terms and will keep fighting until they're met. At the same time, he has sought to avoid angering U.S. President Donald Trump by praising his diplomacy and declaring Moscow's openness to peace talks — even as he set maximalist conditions that are rejected by Kyiv and the West. Trump, who once promised to end the 3-year-old war in 24 hours, has upended the U.S. policy of isolating Russia by holding calls with Putin and denigrating Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. At the same time, however, Trump warned Putin against 'tapping me along' and threatened Moscow with sanctions if it fails to back his peace proposals. In recent days, Trump signaled he was losing patience with Putin, declaring the Russian leader had gone 'crazy' by stepping up aerial attacks on Ukraine. He also said: 'What Vladimir Putin doesn't realize is that if it weren't for me, lots of really bad things would have already happened to Russia, and I mean REALLY BAD. He's playing with fire!' Dmitry Medvedev, a former Russian president who serves as deputy head of Putin's Security Council, fired back: 'I only know of one REALLY BAD thing — WWIII. I hope Trump understands this!' Fyodor Lukyanov, a Moscow-based analyst familiar with Kremlin thinking, said Putin is engaged in a 'psychological game' with Trump, with both men thinking they understand each other well. 'Putin's tactics is apparently based on an assumption that the issue has a lesser priority for his interlocutor, who wants to get rid of it one way or another, while for the Russian side, nothing compares to it in importance,' Lukyanov wrote a commentary. 'In this logic, the one who sees it as something of lesser importance will eventually make concessions.' While Ukraine's European allies urge Trump to ramp up sanctions against Moscow to force it to accept a ceasefire, some fear that Trump may end up distancing the U.S. from the conflict. If the U.S. halts or reduces military aid to Kyiv, it would badly erode Ukraine's fighting capability. Kyiv already is experiencing a weapons shortage, particularly air defense systems, leaving it increasingly vulnerable to Russian missile and drone attacks. Across the over 1,000-kilometer (over 600-mile) front line, the exhausted and outgunned Ukrainian troops are facing increasing Russian pressure. This month, Russian forces accelerated their slow push across the Donetsk region, the focus of Moscow's offensive, grinding through Ukrainian defenses at the quickest pace since last fall. Russia also expanded its attacks in the northeastern Sumy and Kharkiv regions following Putin's promise to create a buffer zone along the border. Many observers expect Russia to expand its offensive over the summer to try to capture more land and set even tougher conditions for peace. 'Moscow thinks its leverage over Ukraine will build over time, and since Trump has strongly implied that he will withdraw from negotiations the Russian military is set to intensify its operations,' said Jack Watling of the Royal United Services Institute in London. He predicted Russia would intensify efforts to take all of the Donetsk region while also pressing a bombing campaign. 'The Kremlin will want to suggest a deteriorating situation as negotiations continue and to signal to Europe that the rear is not safe, to discourage European militaries from putting forces in country,' Watling said in an analysis. Sergei Markov, a pro-Kremlin, Moscow-based analyst, said the long-expected offensive hasn't yet begun in earnest as Russia is cautious not to anger Trump. 'If Kyiv derails peace talks, the Russian army will start a big offensive,' he said. Putin has demanded that Ukraine withdraw its forces from Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson — the four regions that Russia illegally annexed in September 2022 but never fully controlled. That demand had been rejected by Kyiv and its allies, but the Russian delegation reportedly repeated it during talks with Ukraine in Istanbul on May 16. Those talks, the first since botched negotiations in the opening weeks of the war, came after Putin effectively rejected a 30-day truce proposed by Trump that was accepted by Kyiv. Russia had linked such a ceasefire to a halt in Ukraine's mobilization effort and a freeze on Western arms supplies. Putin proposed talks to discuss conditions for a possible truce. Trump quickly prodded Kyiv to accept the offer, but the negotiations yielded no immediate progress except an agreement to exchange 1,000 prisoners each. Russia offered to hold another round of talks Monday in Istanbul, where it said it will present a memorandum setting conditions for ending hostilities. It refused to share the document before the negotiations. Some observers see the talks as an attempt by Putin to assuage Trump's growing impatience. 'Putin has devised a way to offer Trump an interim, tangible outcome from Washington's peace efforts without making any real concessions,' said Tatiana Stanovaya of the Carnegie Russia Eurasia Center. Facing Western accusations of stalling, the Kremlin responded that the conflict can't be resolved quickly and emphasized the need to address its 'root causes.' When Putin invaded Ukraine, he said the move was needed to prevent Ukraine from joining NATO and protect Russian speakers in the country -– arguments strongly rejected by Kyiv and its Western allies as a cover for an unprovoked act of aggression. Along with those demands, Putin also wants limits on Ukraine's sovereignty, including the size of Ukraine's military, and for Kyiv to end what Moscow sees as glorification of Ukraine's World War II-era nationalist leaders, some of whom sided with the invading forces of Nazi Germany over the Soviet leadership in the Kremlin. Seeking to underline that Moscow will press home its initial demands, Putin appointed his aide Vladimir Medinsky to lead the Russian delegation in Istanbul. He also led the Russian side in the 2022 talks. Kyiv reportedly has asked the U.S. to encourage Putin to replace him. The soft-spoken, 54-year-old career bureaucrat, who was born in Ukraine, ascended through the Kremlin ranks after writing a series of books exposing purported Western plots against Russia. In an interview with Russian state television after the May 16 talks, Medinsky pointed to Russia's 18th century war with Sweden that lasted 21 years, a signal that Moscow is prepared to fight for a long time until its demands are met. 'History repeats itself in a remarkable way,' he said.
