Energy crisis in EuropeEurope injects 39 bcm of gas into storage facilities for next winter Europe has so far managed to inject only 58% of the volumes needed for the coming winter into its UGS facilitiesMOSCOW, August 28. /TASS/. Net gas injection - the difference between injection and withdrawal volumes - by EU countries into underground gas storage (UGS) facilities has exceeded 39 bln cubic meters since the start of the summer season in April 2026, according to TASS calculations based on data from Gas Infrastructure Europe (GIE). Thus, Europe has so far managed to inject only 58% of the volumes needed for the coming winter into its UGS facilities. As of August 26, European UGS facilities were 63.8% full, 17.24 percentage points below the five-year average for that date, compared with 76.5% a year earlier. This is the lowest level for this date since records began in 2011. EU storage facilities currently hold around 69.7 bln cubic meters of gas, 14.3 bln cubic meters less than a year earlier and the lowest level since 2013. Gazprom previously forecast that gas inventories in European UGS facilities may not even reach 75% by the next heating season. TASS previously reported that Europe risks entering the heating season with record-low gas inventories. The average pace of replenishing gas inventories at EU UGS facilities in July was among the lowest since records began in 2011 and accelerated only slightly in August. At the current pace, Europe may have its storage facilities only 70-75% full by the start of the fall-winter period, which would be an all-time low for the beginning of the heating season. Under European Commission requirements, EU countries must ensure that their gas storage facilities are 90% full each year between October 1 and December 1. A 10% flexibility margin is allowed in the event of difficult storage-filling conditions. Thus, net injection into European storage facilities must total at least 68 bln cubic meters by the start of the 2026-2027 fall-winter period to meet the storage target. The pace of storage filling this year has been significantly affected by Europe losing the "battle" with Asia for available supplies on the liquefied natural gas market during the Middle East conflict, higher fuel prices, and extreme heat in June and July. During such hot summer periods, demand for electricity to power cooling and air-conditioning systems rises sharply. Gas is one of the main sources of electricity generation, alongside nuclear, wind and solar power. TagsEnergy crisis in EuropeUS may lease some Venezuelan oil fields for 100 years — BloombergAccording to the sources, the terms of the deal have not yet been finalized and could changeRead moreFour wounded in drone attack on Sevastopol — governorAccording to Mikhail Razvozhayev, two of them sustained minor injuries and declined hospitalizationRead moreWhat is known about summons of Romania's charge d’affaires in Russia to Foreign MinistryAccording to the ministry’s statement following Thursday’s summons of the charge d’affaires, Russia declared an employee of the Romanian embassy in Moscow persona non grata in retaliationRead moreShare of foreign investment in Russian federal loan bonds up to 3.1% in July — regulatorAs of July 1, 2026, the share of non-residents in OFZ equaled 3%Read moreUS fully cleared Strait of Hormuz of mines — CENTCOM headBradley Cooper said that mines in the strait’s international shipping lanes were laid by IRGCRead moreIran could harm US economic interests in response to sanctions — security officialMohsen Rezaei said that Washington’s shift toward economic pressure demonstrates that "a military solution to the conflict produces limited results"Read moreMoscow to respond to Ukrainian strikes on Russian economic, trade infrastructure — KremlinAccording to Dmitry Peskov, Russia does not need "military escalation," as it is making advances in the special military operation without itRead moreForeign military contingents in Ukraine to be Russia’s legitimate targets — diplomatMaria Zakharova said the responsibility for this will fall on Western politiciansRead moreWhite House remains silent on Europe’s remarks about ‘burial’ of Anchorage — LavrovThe Russian foreign minister said that the Europeans, alongside with Vladimir Zelensky, made a year-long lobbying effort before these statements were madeRead moreKremlin denies new Putin-Trump talksDmitry Peskov specified that the Donald Trump's statements about holding "good talks" with Vladimir Putin refered to leaders' previous contactsRead moreCIA chief's visit to Russia, Kiev regime’s collapse, Armenia situation: Kremlin’s briefingAccording to Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov, there were no direct contacts between the Russian President and John RatcliffeRead moreSix EU countries call for hundreds of billions of euros in cuts to new EU budgetThe statement emphasized that the European Union should make clear choices and reprioritize within the budgetRead moreLake Ontario got its name before US independence and will keep it — Canadian PMMark Carney said Canadians know "that naming reality means calling it Lake Ontario"Read moreTrump's 'miscalculations' throw Middle East into chaos — Iranian parliament speakerMohammad Ghalibaf also expressed confidence that the US economic blockade of Iran "would yield no results"Read moreIsrael won't put up with Turkey's military presence in Syria — NetanyahuThe Israeli prime minister said that the prior warnings on the issue were not heard "clearly enough"Read moreLukashenko arrives in Russia for visitEarlier, BelTA reported that the Belarusian President plans to hold talks with President Vladimir Putin and Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin during his working visit to RussiaRead moreNo plans for Putin-Trump phone call yet — KremlinDmitry Peskov also commented on why the Russian leader did not meet with the CIA director John RatcliffeRead moreVon der Leyen admits EU economy relied on energy from Russia, exports to ChinaThe European Commission president chose not to point out that the disruption of global trade and the blocking of energy supplies from Russia were a direct result of sanctions drafted by the European CommissionRead moreEU condemned Mladic, but remains silent about nationalism in Ukraine — senior legislatorKonstantin Kosachev said that even before the start of the special military operation, at least 16,000 people had been killed in Donbass by "the heirs, adherents, followers and admirers of Ukrainian nationalists"Read morePeriod of early parliamentary vote begins in several Russian regionsDonbass, Novorossia, and eight other border regions will have the option of holding an early vote on their territory for security reasonsRead moreIN BRIEF: Damaged house in Sevastopol, supermarket in Moscow Region, 512 UAV attacksAs a result of a drone attack in the Yaroslavl Region, one person was killed and 27 were injuredRead moreUEFA not to back Infantino’s candidacy if he runs for another FIFA presidential termThe FIFA presidential election will take place in March 2027 in RabatRead moreUK Navy commander admits might of Russian submarine fleetRussia can deal serious damage to the UK critical undersea infrastructure if it chooses to, Gwyn Jenkins saidRead moreGroup of Japanese students visited St. Petersburg on August 12-20 — Foreign MinistryA Japanese Foreign Ministry spokesperson said that the visit took place in the framework of the first exchange on the governmental level in seven yearsRead moreKiev tries to convince West of military successes in absence of real results — GerasimovAs part of a propaganda campaign, the Kiev regime is spreading false information about an allegedly successful offensive in the Zaporozhye RegionRead moreRussian Foreign Ministry blames Mladic’s death on those who denied humane treatment to himIRMCT President Graciela Gatti Santana repeatedly denied humanitarian release "to the bedridden, terminally ill man," the ministry notedRead moreUS escorted around 1,500 vessels through Strait of Hormuz — CENTCOMAdmiral Bradley Cooper claimed that since the US resumed its maritime blockade on Iran in mid-July, the Islamic republic "has exported zero oil from its shores"Read moreUS Open men’s draw pits Russian Safiullin against defending champ Alcaraz in openerAndrey Rublev will begin the tourney against Croatia’s Marin CilicRead moreCash in Russian economy to keep growing, Central Bank action needed — SberIn Taras Skvortsov's view, the Russian financial market has a sufficient margin of resilience to expect the situation to normalizeRead moreRussia adds over 100 mln carats to diamond reserves since start of yearHead of Rosnedra Oleg Kazanov noted that reserve additions are driven not only by new deposits but by additional geological exploration and the reassessment of existing depositsRead moreBattlegroup North drones destroy three US-made Ukrainian armored vehicles overnightThe FPV drone crews eliminated one International MaxxPro armored vehicle and two Humvee armored vehiclesRead moreHersh says FBI caught Israeli agent installing surveillance devices at Epstein apartmentAccording to the journalist, US intelligence agencies may have concluded after the agent’s detention that Israel was aware of Epstein’s client list and the potential value of compromising materialRead moreSaudi Arabia preparing for new war with Houthis in Yemen — mediaAccording to the newspaper, Riyadh would prefer to preserve peace but is prepared for a military scenarioRead moreMerchant ship sinks in Romania’s exclusive economic zone in Black SeaAll 12 people on board were rescued, the coast guards saidRead moreMoscow issued no ultimatums to Washington about its role in Kiev’s strikes — LavrovThe Russian foreign minister said Moscow had a question, as information is leaked to the Western media on how exactly the administration of Donald Trump, is helping Ukraine with financial aid, weapons and intelligenceRead moreAt least 43 Russians killed in Ukraine’s attacks on buses — diplomatRodion Miroshnik says more than 300 people were wounded, including 17 minors, since the start of 2026Read morePress review: SDF plans dissolution in Syria as Bangladesh invited to join Mecca pactTop stories from the Russian press on Thursday, August 27thRead moreShipping in Strait of Hormuz depends on US talks — Iranian Security Council chiefMohsen Rezaei added that "an end to all conflicts in the Middle East," particularly in Gaza and Lebanon, was the top-priority condition for the resumption of vessel traffic Read moreCIA head, Vatican diplomacy chief visited Russia to talk — foreign ministerSergey Lavrov briefly commented on the visit by John Ratcliffe and Paul Richard Gallagher "on the very same day" Read moreMoldova holds military parade featuring NATO equipment in Chisinau on Independence Day"This is an opportunity to show people how we have strengthened the country’s defense," Moldovan President Maia Sandu saidRead moreMFA comments on viability of hitting British targets, Stubb's shameful RussophobiaGiven Ukraine’s strikes with British weapons, Moscow has every right to attack British military facilities, Maria Zakharova statedRead moreSanctions could split off Russian crypto market from global benchmarks — Finam headThis factor could make the Russian market extremely appealing, Vladislav Kochetkov saidRead moreRussia ranks fourth by number of billionaires in 2025 — studyThe United States remained the leading country by the number of billionairesRead moreKiev unwilling to settle conflict peacefully, Russia continues special op — KremlinDmitry Peskov said the Kiev side knows Moscow's demands perfectly wellRead moreRescue of 9 Russian soldiers from ‘shadow captivity’ in Ukraine: statement by ombudswomanAccording to Yana Lantratova, Russian servicemen spend several months in torture cells before being transferred to general captivityRead moreSyrian president appoints Kurdish leader his adviserMazloum Abdi, the commander of the Syrian Democratic Forces, announced on August 25 that the military force will be dissolved and integrated with the Syrian armyRead moreRussian UN envoy urges Israel to halt military adventurismVasily Nebenzya cited Israeli Air Force strikes on the Abu al-Duhur airbase and a drone attack on a vehicle near the town of Beit Jinn as examplesRead moreUEFA prepares to initiate criminal proceedings against FIFA chief Infantino — journalistGianni Infantino announced a proposal on July 30 to sell a share of the FIFA World Cup commercial rights to private investorsRead moreTop Iranian diplomat says returning to talks with US possibleAbbas Araghchi called on the US administration to engage in respectful dialogue, recognize Iran’s rights, and honor its commitmentsRead moreIN BRIEF: Kremlin briefing covers frozen assets, 'spooks' of Russia’s 'plans' against NATODmitry Peskov added that Russia continues contacts with the United States on Ukraine "at the working level"Read moreRussian embassy in Serbia offers condolences over Mladic’s deathThe former Bosnian Serb army commander died in prison in The Hague on August 27Read moreRussia launches mass production of Volna Kupol Garant EW system — defense sourceAccording to the source, the Volna has become a factor affecting not only the special military operation zone, but also having global influenceRead moreRussian Deputy PM lays out objectives of new economic subcommissionThe resilience of the sectors will be assessed by the subcommission through the lens of existing risks and damage incurred, Denis Manturov saidRead moreRussian stocks close mixed on ThursdayThe MOEX Index added 1.07% to 2,093.4 points, while the RTS Index fell by 0.9% to 767.23 pointsRead moreFACTBOX: Russian forces strike Ukrainian military targets, oil refinery, steel millsEnergy facilities supplying power to Ukrainian ports in the Odessa Region were also struck, the Russian Defense Ministry reportedRead moreRoyal Navy commander says UK-led coalition may replace NATO in northern EuropeThe Joint Expeditionary Force provides a political flexibility to respond to crises because consensus among all ten nations is not required, General Gwyn Jenkins saidRead moreArmenia would lose up to 27% of exports if it withdraws from EAEU — expertArmenia will also lose such a significant asset as the unhindered movement of labor, Anton Sviridenko addedRead moreWest systematically targets Russian intelligentsia — MFAMaria Zakharova also noted that Kiev’s neo-Nazi ideology is manifesting itself in the academic sphereRead moreKiev troops shell DPR 24 times in past day, civilian woundedTwo residential buildings, special equipment, and five civil infrastructure sites were damagedRead morePutin to meet Belarusian president on August 29 — KremlinAlexander Lukashenko arrived in Moscow on August 27Read moreRussia develops range of turrets, tripods for anti-UAV mobile armed unitsThe equipment is designed for the stable mounting of machine guns on a vehicle platform or directly on the groundRead moreUS does not plan to restore memorandum with Iran — mediaThe US authorities are currently focused on increasing economic pressure on the Islamic Republic, the newspaper saidRead moreRussian, US intel chiefs on good terms, talk regularly — TrumpThe US president downplayed Ratcliffe’s recent trip to Moscow, calling it "routine"Read moreUnclear when, if Zaporozhstal steel plant to be able to resume work — Ukrainian lawmakerThe consequences are extremely serious, Musa Magomedov saidRead moreRostec increases tank ammunition production 50-fold since start of special opAcording to the state corporation, the production of combat fighter jets have been doubled and the production of artillery ammunition has been increased 20-foldRead moreUS is pushing Europe toward disaster, not saving it — Ukrainian opposition politicianViktor Medvedchuk argued that European leaders could have helped bring about peace in Ukraine much earlier had they not supported the conflictRead morePress review: CIA chief's Moscow visit raises questions as Russia warns UK of retaliationTop stories from the Russian press on Friday, August 28thRead moreArmy general comments on Russia’s unabated offensive, Ukraine’s attempts to hold DonbassKiev’s main strategic objective is to maintain control over the remaining part of Donbass, and the Ukrainian army has created a defense in depth, Valery Gerasimov saidRead moreVenezuela mulls possibility of quitting OPEC — BloombergAccording to the report, Caracas discussed the idea of withdrawal with US officials, but the final decision is yet to be madeRead moreRussia destroys Ukraine’s infrastructure capable of producing SCALP missiles — expertSergey Lipovoy noted that even if Kiev manages to assemble them somewhere using available components, "it is not a given that these missiles will be fully controllable"Read moreRetired US rear admiral claims he possibly found AtlantisTim Gallaudet added that he would not go into details because he does not want the location to be revealedRead moreCyber fraudsters steal $16.29 mln from Russian companies in six monthsAccording to the Bank of Russia, banks prevented around 34 mln attempted thefts totaling approximately $43.05 bln in the first half of the yearRead moreIsrael carries out sweep in Quneitra province, south of Damascus — TVAccording to the report, the Israeli military blocked the road between the settlements of Ufaniyah and Khan Arnabah, where their patrols are searching homes in search of militants from radical groups and weapons cachesRead moreRussian forces hit 147 Ukrainian UAV control centers in special op zone — top brassIn particular, Battlegroup West units destroyed 57 enemy UAV control centersRead moreTrump personally dispatched CIA chief to Russia — WSJAccording to sources cited by the newspaper, John Ratcliffe's mission was "so sensitive" that even some White House officials had no prior knowledge of itRead moreKing Harald V of Norway dies at 89 — Royal HouseKing Harald V of Norway was hospitalized on August 17 due to an infection and complications from hemolytic anemiaRead moreNearly 1,000 people listed as missing in Nepal, over 3,200 rescuedAccording to available information, 13,295 people are involved in the rescue operationRead moreRussia successfully countering Starlink system used by Ukrainian forces — newspaperAccording to the Ukrainian serviceman, Russian electronic warfare systems are not blocking Starlink completely, but they are reducing its effectivenessRead moreForeign ministers to hold meeting on Iran in Istanbul on Sunday — mediaThe ministers will discuss ways to ensure freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz and the regional security situationRead moreSome 50,000 US troops deployed in Middle East — US CENTCOMAdmiral Bradley Cooper added that since the the Strait of Hormuz blockade was resumed in mid-July, it has been maintained by over 20 US warshipsRead morePatriot missile shortage in Europe reaches 'beyond critical' level — mediaThe Associated Press linked the situation primarily to the transfer of US missile stocks from Europe to the Middle East amid the US war with Iran Read moreRussia, China close gap with US in space — mediaThis "could have frightening consequences for the national security" of the United States, the newspaper writesRead moreRosel develops radar station capable of detecting swarms of drones — RostecBuilt-in AI algorithms classify targets and filter out harmless ones, minimizing the number of false alarms, Russia’s state tech corporation saidRead moreWoman seriously wounded during drone attack on Sevastopol — governorAccording to Mikhail Razvozhayev, a drone struck a section of a five-story residential buildingRead moreGrossi says relations with Russia would be serious if elected UN secretary-generalThe IAEA director general said he had developed a very good working relationship with RussiaRead moreRussian forces hit oil refineries, logistics centers in Kiev, other cities — top brassRead moreRussian intel chief says meeting with US counterpart is 'part of job'John Ratcliffe visited the Russian capital on TuesdayRead moreDeath toll in Nepalese floods rises to 469 — police1,545 people have been wounded and rescuedRead moreUS companies preparing for potential Republican defeat in November elections — newspaperAccording to The Wall Street Journal, major technology companies that have made large donations to Trump’s projects fear becoming targets of congressional investigations and legal prosecutionsRead moreUkrainians massively fleeing training camps in Germany — diplomatThe Ukrainian conscripts who have fled make it clear that they do not wish to fight for the ideas of this Kiev regime in its neo-Nazi guise, Maria Zakharova notedRead moreRussia’s SVR chief confirms he met CIA director in MoscowSergey Naryshkin said there is nothing unusual to itRead moreVatican official underscores importance of mutual understanding for living in peaceSecretary for Relations with States and International Organizations Paul Richard Gallagher is in Russia on a five-day working visit, which began on MondayRead moreUS Geological Survey to rename Lake Ontario in its official documentsAccording to the White House, the change has been made official in the Geographic Names Information SystemRead moreGeneral Mladic’s son confirms his deathGeneral Mladic was serving a sentence at a UN detention facility in The HagueRead more'We don't want to speak to them': Trump on negotiations with IranThe Strait of Hormuz is open and loads of barrels of oil pass through it, said US President Read moreLukashenko heads to Russia on working visit — BelTAThe heads of state may discuss the key areas of cooperation and pressing issues on the regional and international agenda, including securityRead moreCIA Director's visit to Russia demonstrates importance of dialogue amid conflicts — expertRuslan Pankratov said countries that remain outside such a dialogue can only "keep a close eye on the matter so that the event doesn’t pass them by without their obligatory comment"Read moreRussia urges IAEA to influence Kiev over attacks on ZNPP — diplomatMaria Zakharova noted that "such actions would be impossible without constant support for the Kiev junta by Western nations"Read moreBank of Russia raises dollar exchange rate to 85.95 rubles for August 28The official euro exchange rate has been raised by 2 rubles and 1.01 kopecks to 100.2998 rublesRead moreWest’s aggression against Russia played role in BRICS expansion — SVR headAccording to Sergey Naryshkin, the unifying potential of BRICS has grown significantly since the ideas of neocolonial dominance were revealed to the world in all their unattractive formRead moreRussian forces continue their offensive unabated, chief of General Staff saysGeneral Valery Gerasimov said the offensive continues in all directionsRead more
Beijing’s Diamond Butterfly Open Eurasian Film Award features Russian films at screenings
• What happened: The Diamond Butterfly Open Eurasian Film Award in Beijing showcased several Russian films, including the romantic drama "Two People In One...