Press review: EU tightens Russia sanctions while Germany eyes return to Russian energy

Press review: EU tightens Russia sanctions while Germany eyes return to Russian energy Top stories from the Russian press on Thursday, October 8th© Jens Schlueter/Getty ImagesMOSCOW, October 8. /TASS/. The EU is rushing to transform itself into an analogue of NATO ahead of elections in Germany and France, as the bloc gives the go-ahead for yet another sanctions package on Russia. Meanwhile, Germany is seeking to resume energy purchases from Russia. These stories topped Thursday's newspaper headlines across Russia. Izvestia: EU rushing to transform itself into NATO-like bloc amid alleged Russia threat The European Commission (EC) is seeking an analogue of the North Atlantic Treaty’s Article 4 before a potential change of power in France and Germany, the European Parliament told Izvestia. In NATO’s documents, this clause provides for urgent consultations between allies in case of threats. Brussels fears that Eurosceptics who oppose the strengthening of the EC's powers will come to power in Paris and Berlin. Until this happens, European bureaucratic hawks are trying to shape the EU's foreign policy on NATO, the Russian Foreign Ministry noted. On October 6, the EC proposed abolishing the right of veto in the adoption of sanctions and the admission of new EU members. Last month, EC President Ursula von der Leyen proposed an Emergency Security Protocol as a mechanism for consultations in the event of threats. The EC is hurrying to do this ahead of the change of power in France and Germany in 2027, Fernand Kartheiser, a member of the European Parliament from Luxembourg, told Izvestia. "She [von der Leyen] is probably looking to act so swiftly precisely before major government changes take place in Germany and France. Public opinion will hardly embrace such a scenario easily, given the current atmosphere of hysteria in Europe. Such an EU-wide step will be perceived by the general public as dangerous," he said. Kartheiser’s fellow MEP from Bulgaria, Petar Volgin, expressed a similar opinion as he said "the process of the EU transforming into NATO 2.0 has already begun." At the same time, the mass vote for the Alternative for Germany (AfD) shows that more people are increasingly distancing themselves categorically from the militarist policy course being imposed by Brussels and a number of European governments, the politician noted. Germany should hold a regular parliamentary election in 2029, but the idea of an early dissolution of the Bundestag is becoming increasingly popular. The opposition AfD party is polling at over 30%, while German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has a record-low approval rating. There is political ground already for a snap vote, said political analyst Yegor Belyachkov, who specializes in German studies. The initiatives put forward by the EU will be considered as soon as the EU leaders’ summit in mid-October, Thierry Mariani, a French MEP, told Izvestia. "The European Commission is in a hurry, and I guess I know why. It is aware that Marine Le Pen could win in France. Therefore, it is seeking to settle things now, before the French express their opinion," the politician noted. According to Vladislav Maslennikov, director of the Russian Foreign Ministry’s Department of European Affairs, "the hawkish wing of the European bureaucracy has long been trying to shape the EU’s insufficiently anti-Russian, as they view it, foreign policy on NATO." "Any incident, be it an unidentified drone or problems with Internet connectivity, is automatically blamed on Russia’s 'hybrid' activities," the diplomat explained. "Clearly, all this hysteria does not at least contribute to ensuring stability and security on our western borders," he argued. Vedomosti: EU approves 22nd sanctions package on Russia The European Union has adopted a 22nd package of anti-Russian sanctions as EU ambassadors approved it on Wednesday. The measure will soon have to be approved by the EU Council before it comes into effect. This time around, more than 1,500 legal entities and individuals, mostly with ties to the Russian defense industry and the manufacturing of dual-use items, were sanctioned. The blacklisted individuals will be barred from entering the EU, while all their assets on EU soil will be frozen. Read alsoEU ambassadors endorse 22nd sanction package — source Even as the 22nd package does not include any brand-new trade and economic restrictions, it will be the largest ever in terms of the number of Russian individuals and legal entities blacklisted simultaneously, a source in Brussels told TASS. So far, approximately 3,000 individuals and legal entities have been added to the EU’s sanctions list. The latest sanctions package does not include any industry-wide restrictions as it introduces personal, albeit broad, sanctions, Artyom Sokolov, a senior research fellow at the MGIMO International Studies Institute, told Vedomosti. Tellingly enough, Brussels no longer weighs any deeper sanctions as their effect, including on the EU itself, will be ineffective. Moreover, the fact that the 22nd package is being imposed proves that the range of restrictions has been exhausted. As regards restrictions against Russian lawmakers, numerous Duma members are under sanctions already, but symbolically, recent statements from the EU’s diplomacy chief Kaja Kallas represent a step toward further escalation, as the most vital institution of Russia’s legislative power may be sanctioned, the expert said. According to him, even as the EU lacks any coherent reasons for doing so, Russia has already grown used to similar measures by Brussels, while the State Duma’s functioning will be unaffected by the new restrictions. The 22nd package of anti-Russian sanctions marks a shift from sectoral restrictions to targeted measures, Alexander Kamkin, an associate professor at the Financial University under the Russian Government, believes. Furthermore, it shows that the EU has exhausted the potential of economic sanctions as it mostly focuses on restrictions on Russia’s military-industrial sector--a move that European governments use to frighten their electorate with--while the imposition of sanctions against the defense industry effectively acknowledges Russia’s achievements in this sphere, the expert argued. Restrictions against Duma members, including those representing Russia’s new regions, were an expected move, Kamkin said, given the EU’s staunchly negative stance toward all government officials in those regions. However, it would be incorrect to suggest that these sanctions could in any way disrupt the State Duma’s operations, Kamkin concluded. Izvestia: Germany seeking to resume Russian energy imports Amid underground storage facilities being depleted and gas prices soaring in Europe, Germany sees a clearer benefit in resuming Russian energy purchases. European sources told Izvestia that Germany is interested in restoring energy supplies from Russia. "It would be much better if we could buy energy from Russia again as we did 10 to 20 years ago," one of the sources argued. Another source said Germany is ready to import gas via the surviving leg of Nord Stream 2: such a scenario would be possible if the conflict in Ukraine ends, he added. "There are all necessary technical capabilities to restart the pipeline, even as no meaningful negotiations are currently being conducted with the Russian side," he noted. Unless Germany reopens the surviving leg of Nord Stream 2, it will fail to keep its industries operating as before, Steffen Kotre, a member of the German parliament from AfD, told Izvestia. "Germany will no longer be able to run its industrial base the way it was five or six years ago," the parliamentarian pointed out. "We can already see that happening. Falling gas and electricity consumption is clearly due solely to the shutdown of industrial facilities that have become too expensive. Say, in the field of ammonia fertilizers and, of course, everywhere in the chemical industry. Production is being moved to where it is cheaper. And large enterprises are expanding their sites abroad," he added. In these circumstances, AfD which is leading nationwide opinion polls is openly calling for the repair of Nord Stream. The issue will be discussed at a potential Russia-US-Germany business forum in 2027 as announced by Kirill Dmitriev, head of the Russian Direct Investment Fund and Special Presidential Envoy for Economic Cooperation with Foreign Countries, Kotre said. A full ban on Russian LNG imports from early January may trigger a price spike, and in winter, gas prices on exchanges could easily rise above $1,000 per 1,000 cubic meters and remain there through the season, Igor Yushkov, an expert at the Financial University under the Russian Government and the National Energy Security Fund, told Izvestia. Only two unlikely scenarios - a warm winter or the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and stabilization of exports from Qatar - could prevent prices from rising, he said. In the longer term, the market balance will be achieved not due to the influx of new gas, but through a further decline in its consumption in Europe, as was already the case in 2021-2023, the expert argued. On the one hand, the wave of deindustrialization suits Brussels, helping it to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. On the other hand, amid economic problems, Eurosceptics and forces demanding the return of energy resources from Russia are gaining political weight. The Czech SPD party, for one, which came to power in 2025, advocates for the resumption of purchases of Russian oil and gas. Slovakia too is actively seeking to maintain energy imports from Russia. Vedomosti: Rumors behind plague case in Russia’s Siberian region explained Rospotrebnadzor is completing a range of preventive measures in the Irkutsk Region, Irkutsk and Shelekhov after a female employee of the Irkutsk Anti-Plague Research Institute died on the night of October 1, Russia’s sanitary watchdog said on October 7. No health implications related to infectious diseases have been found, it added. Earlier, Rospotrebnadzor said she had been diagnosed with pneumonia of undetermined etiology. A broader probe did not reveal any microorganisms associated with her professional activities either. The World Health Organization (WHO) is monitoring the situation, its Director-General Tedros Ghebreyesus wrote on X. Read alsoFACTBOX: Russia’s sanitary watchdog says no epidemic risks in Irkutsk Region Plague, including pneumonic, is much less contagious than COVID-19, Andrey Pozdnyakov, an infectious disease expert at Invitro, explained to Vedomosti. It is caused by the bacteria Yersinia pestis that does not spread over large distances, he said. Consequently, the contagiousness index for plague is significantly lower than that of coronavirus, influenza, or measles, and airborne transmission requires fairly close contact with an infected person. For example, during a recent outbreak of pneumonic plague in Uganda, only two out of 20 people who had been in contact with patients contracted the disease from two deceased patients, Pozdnyakov recalled. The experience of COVID-19 is not applicable here, Denis Volkov, a sociologist, agreed: back then, a large-scale epidemic broke out, and general lockdowns and disruptions to the usual way of life aggravated people’s anxiety. And the anxiety triggered by the pandemic almost completely subsided two to three years later, he noted. Panic against the backdrop of news about the situation in the Irkutsk Region started to set in amid coverage in foreign media outlets, Nikolay Bespalov, director for development at RNC Pharma think tank, said. He described the information in overseas media as far-fetched. US President Donald Trump, too, commented on the situation as he announced a phone call "very soon" with his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin. His offer of assistance was not the only response from Washington as the US Department of State and other federal agencies said they were monitoring the situation. The State Department, for one, advised US citizens in Russia to leave the country immediately on its page on X as it also urged others not to travel there, issuing a Level 4 advisory. The European Union expressed similar concerns, while the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it was in contact with Moscow over the epidemiological situation. Pavel Koshkin, a senior researcher at the US and Canadian Studies Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences, sees a deliberate attempt to smear Russia behind the latest US rhetoric. According to him, Washington has responded to the uproar surrounding the Irkutsk incident amid a lack of information. Statements from the United States have been primarily precautionary, preventive, and formal, he said. Rossiyskaya Gazeta: Experts weigh in on depletion of oil reserves and crude prices Seven months into the Middle East crisis, global oil inventories have almost been exhausted, Bloomberg quoted CEO of the world’s largest oil company, Saudi Aramco, Amin Nasser as saying at the Energy Intelligence Forum in London. A similar assessment was voiced by the chief executive of the world’s largest oil trader, Vitol Group, Russel Hardy. According to him, Western nations have virtually exhausted their available oil reserves amid geopolitical conflicts in the Middle East. This and a shortage of available tankers may push global prices to $200 per barrel, he argued. Read alsoMajor oil companies eye Middle East investments despite war — newspaperUS crude oil inventories fall by 3.2 mln barrels over week — Energy DepartmentIRGC plans to block illegal oil transportation routes through Strait of Hormuz Global oil inventories currently stand at less than 6 billion barrels. However, Nasser noted, only 10% of this amount is actually available, with the remainder serving as the operational minimum required for the infrastructure to function. Commercial stocks include crude held in pipelines, tankers, port tanks, depots, storage facilities, and oil refineries. These volumes are in constant use and must be constantly replenished, but withdrawal rates currently outpace replenishment levels. Besides, Oleg Zhirnov, investment and capital market partner at Kept, told Rossiyskaya Gazeta, a substantial amount of oil in pipelines or storage facilities is needed for those to operate properly. And it cannot be tapped because a minimum fill level must be maintained, he added. Approximately 1 billion barrels of oil have been drawn from global stockpiles since the Middle East conflict erupted, according to data from the International Energy Agency (IEA). In August, the average rate of drawdown was 3.1 million bpd, and this pace could rise to 4-5 million bpd in the fall, a trend also fueled by the escalating global diesel crisis. If the drawdown of oil reserves were halted, there would be an immediate supply shortfall for consumers, and prices could inevitably surge, potentially reaching $150 per barrel or even higher, Zhirnov warned. Vladimir Chernov, an analyst at Freedom Global, agrees that Brent prices could rise to $150 per barrel if supplies from stockpiles stop and the oil deficit of several million barrels per day persists. Further large-scale disruptions could trigger brief spikes to even higher levels, and the risk of prices climbing to $200 cannot be ruled out, though that would already represent a crisis scenario, he concluded. TASS is not responsible for the material quoted in these press reviews Press review: Black Sea ceasefire efforts gain momentum as Houthi advances raise war riskTop stories from the Russian press on Wednesday, October 7thRead moreNo clarity yet on timing of upcoming Putin-Trump phone conversation — KremlinDmitry Peskov noted that Moscow and Washington have not yet agreed on a telephone conversationRead moreRussia’s Battlegroup West destroys 104 Ukrainian heavy combat multicopters in past dayAccording to the battlegroup’s spokesman Ivan Bigma, 55 Ukrainian UAV control centers, four Starlink satellite communication stations and 40 ground robotic systems were identified and eliminatedRead moreRussia to take retaliatory measures if Canada confiscates Russian assets — ambassadorOleg Stepanov said Ottawa should consider the legal, investment and reputational consequences "of such ‘lawmaking’"Read moreKherson Region children's ombudsman calls UAV blow on car with father of 13 kids terrorIrina Kravchenko said that there can be no justification for such actionsRead moreMali to buy Kamaz trucks worth $51.5 mlnThe contract, signed in accordance with an intergovernmental agreement between Mali and Russia, is aimed at expanding Mali’s transport and logistics capacityRead moreHouthis report missile strikes on coalition forces near Bab el-Mandeb StraitHouthi military spokesman Yahya Saree noted that the attacks killed or wounded dozens of people, including commanders, and destroyed numerous pieces of military equipmentRead moreFour in five Russians view Putin as one of world’s most influential leaders — pollAbout seven in ten Russians believe that Russia has become stronger during Putin’s years in officeRead moreUS crude oil inventories fall by 3.2 mln barrels over week — Energy DepartmentThe department noted that current inventories are 1% above the five-year average for this time of yearRead moreWest furthers military-industrial interests with OSCE Russia disinformation campaign"Even here, within the framework of the OSCE's military-political direction, we have already had the opportunity to see that the Western participating states are not interested in a fact-based professional dialogue," Yulia Zhdanova saidRead moreTrump believes conflict in Ukraine nearing its endThe US president admitted that he thought this conflict "would be the easiest one for me"Read moreInternational organizations offer no help over Alyoshki situation — governor"The conduct of organizations whose charters require them to act in people’s interests is a matter for their conscience," Vladimir Saldo saidRead moreTrump says decided against prosecuting Obama, Biden, ClintonTrump said people around him had urged him to pursue legal action against themRead moreEbola spirals out of control in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo — NGONorth Kivu accounts for nearly 40% of the country's new confirmed Ebola cases, Doctors Without Borders international non-governmental organization saidRead moreRussian forces approach Novoukrainka in Zaporozhye Region — military expertAndrey Marochko said that Russian servicemen are advancing near liberated GolubkovoRead moreSyria supports Saudi Arabia, yet does not want to be party in Yemeni warDamascus firmly supports Saudi Arabia, but its policy does not call for opening new fronts, the Information Ministry saidRead moreSwedish Academy to announce winner of Nobel Prize in LiteratureAccording to Swedish experts, the favorites for 2026 include Australian novelist Gerald Murnane, Chinese writer Can Xue, and Canadian poet and essayist Anne CarsonRead moreWestern attempts to disrupt Russian elections resulted in society’s consolidation — expertIlya Gusev said that Russians are ready to defend their social and political life and preserve stability hereRead morePress review: Slovakia blocks Russian asset seizure as Europe youth protests spreadTop stories from the Russian press on Tuesday, October 6thRead moreHouthis report ballistic missile strike on Riyadh AirportAccording to the Houthi spokesman Yahya Saria, the direct hit brought air traffic at the Saudi capital’s airport to a haltRead moreWhat we know about attack on oil tanker in Black Sea with unmanned surface vehiclesThe tanker's crew of 23 Indian nationals has been rescuedRead moreTop US diplomat says prospects of negotiated settlement in Ukraine 'elusive'Marco Rubio called the conflict a "strategic stalemate" nowRead moreAgroexport center names key agricultural export markets for RussiaMain selling markets by 2030 will be China, Turkey, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Iran, Egypt, India, Uzbekistan, Saudi Arabia and AzerbaijanRead moreMediation efforts in Iran-US talks reach deadlock — TV"The Strait of Hormuz is no longer a priority for Washington" after Iran, in the US assessment, "lost control over it," the TV channel saidRead moreCargo Dragon spacecraft to launch to ISS no earlier than October 13 — NASAThe spacecraft will deliver more than 2.8 tons of cargo to the ISS, including materials for studying the effects of microgravity on the growth and function of three-dimensional heart tissue modelsRead moreEU ambassadors endorse 22nd sanction package — sourceOver 1,500 companies and individuals have been blacklistedRead moreUS sees no link between infection in Russia’s Irkutsk Region, bioweapons research — TrumpOn October 4, the Russian Federal Service for Consumer Rights Protection and Human Well-Being said the sanitary and epidemiological situation in Russia’s eastern Irkutsk Region was stableRead moreRussia cuts pipeline gas supplies to Turkey by 17% in eight monthsRussian gas supplies to Turkey via pipelines reached 12.1 bln cubic meters in January-AugustRead moreHigh-rise building in Istanbul partially collapses, trapping people under rubble — TVNo information on casualties or injuries has been reported yetRead moreTrump says call with Putin set up, mentions Russian president’s birthdayThe US president mentioned the Russian leader’s birthdayRead moreUkraine pays $450 mln on debt in September — National BankUkraine’s total state and state-guaranteed debt stood at $215.55 bln, as of August 31Read moreEU, NATO to squeeze Kiev regime for everything it has — Russian delegation headHead of the Russian delegation to the Vienna negotiations on military security and arms control Yulia Zhdanova emphasized that the West primarily "needs experience in high-intensity combat"Read moreUkraine’s losses from port downtime exceed five billion dollarsThe Odessa port shutdown has been ongoing since July 22Read moreSenior NATO commanders pay unannounced visit to UkraineItalian Admiral Giuseppe Cavo Dragone said that the visit had been aimed "to reaffirm unwavering support for Ukraine"Read moreTrump interrupted 12 times in 45 minutes during speech in staunchly Republican TexasPolice escorted one of the protesters out of the venue in handcuffsRead morePress review: Black Sea ceasefire efforts gain momentum as Houthi advances raise war riskTop stories from the Russian press on Wednesday, October 7thRead moreLithuanian army to send up to 100 troops to border with Russia’s Kaliningrad RegionAccording to the Lithuanian Defense Minister Robertas Kaunas, the army will be stationed at the border for the next few weeksRead moreThree killed in attacks on two Saudi airportsA Sudanese national was killed in the strike on King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, while eight others were injured, including five Saudis, two Egyptians and one PakistaniRead moreFreezing conflict will not help resolve situation in Ukraine — Kremlin spokesmanDmitry Peskov reiterated that a settlement in Ukraine must be comprehensiveRead moreIsrael to close UK consulate but won’t expel diplomats — newspaperEarlier, London had threatened to expel 30 Israeli diplomats from the UK in response to Israeli actionsRead moreMoscow court fines Zoom around $772,110The company was fined for failing to comply with obligations established by Russian law governing the activities of foreign entities on the InternetRead moreHungary risks situation near energy catastrophe if cut off from Russian gas — expertArtyom Ilyinsky said that the delivery of major volumes under non-Russian gas agreements is scheduled to begin only in 2028, creating a critical time gap that "will prevent Hungary from navigating the pivotal year of 2027 smoothly"Read moreFACTBOX: Russia’s sanitary watchdog says no epidemic risks in Irkutsk RegionRospotrebnadzor has provided the WHO with information about the situation in the regionRead moreUS holds its first execution since Christa Pike incident — news agencyJamaal Howard was convicted of murdering a store employee in 2000 and was given a lethal injectionRead moreCommon Eurasian space to take shape gradually but steadily — LavrovThe foreign minister pointed in this regard to cooperation memorandums among the secretariats of integration organizations including the CIS, the Eurasian Economic Union, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and the Association of Southeast Asian NationsRead moreSberbank launches direct business settlements with MyanmarThe bank's press service explained that Sberbank’s Indian branch will serve as a key element of the new arrangementRead moreTrump says Iran conflict will be over 'shortly,' sending oil prices tumbling downThere is no more a nuclear weapon threat in Iran, the US leader emphasizedRead moreRussia ready to help US combat outbreaks of infectious diseases — sanitary watchdogRospotrebnadzor explained that the measles situation in three US states had deteriorated significantly in recent weeksRead moreIndia calls on Russia, Ukraine to halt Black Sea attacks in truce plan — Foreign Ministry"Insofar as specifics are concerned, India is trying to be helpful, starting with the Black Sea, safety of the shipping issue, addressing immediate concerns of Russia and Ukraine on grain and energy exports, and non-attack possibilities," Randhir Jaiswal saidRead moreEU fears US diesel export ban — Der SpiegelThe EC noted that even awareness of economic damage to US companies themselves might not prevent Washington from taking such a stepRead morePutin could speak on Ukraine at news conference after Belarus talks on Thursday — KremlinThe Russian president is scheduled to take questions jointly with his Belarusian counterpart Alexander LukashenkoRead moreIran, Oman to submit agreement on Strait of Hormuz to international body — diplomatIranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei pointed out that consultations between Tehran and Muscat were successful, and the parties reached an agreement on the geographical coordinates of the safe corridorsRead moreTwo commercial ships hit with drones in Black Sea off BulgariaThe Togo-flagged Alfa Watan suffered severe damage before sinkingRead moreDiplomat says Russian Foreign Ministry’s message to foreigners in Kiev was 'crystal clear'According to Maria Zakharova, foreigners "should be aware of the risk and understand its source"Read moreFACTBOX: Russian forces hit enterprises producing Flamingo missiles in UkraineRussian troops struck the Kiev Cardboard and Paper Mill plant that served as a production and storage facility for FP-5 Flamingo cruise missiles and their componentsRead moreMajor oil companies eye Middle East investments despite war — newspaperPatrick Pouyanne, chief executive of France’s TotalEnergies, believes the Middle East still has the cheapest oilRead moreMajor deployment point of Colombian mercenaries destroyed near KharkovAccording to Russian security agencies, the total number of foreign mercenaries in the Ukrainian armed forces currently stands at about 16,500Read moreTrump promises to prevent destruction of San Diego, Los AngelesWhite House Communications Director Steven Cheung later stated that Donald Trump was referring to a potential threat to American cities if the US did not take military action against Iran over Tehran’s nuclear programRead moreIranian army to decisively strike US forces should they launch ground operation — TVAccording to the TV channel, the Iranian army is constantly updating its database of enemy targets and has already identified numerous sites in the region, including military bases, that could be attacked by Iranian forcesRead moreWorld leaders congratulate Putin on his birthdayIn a telephone conversation, Putin and Lukashenko agreed to continue discussing bilateral cooperation and the international situation on the sidelines of the CIS summit in TurkmenistanRead moreOver 100 Ukrainian drones taken down over Russian regions during dayFrom 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Moscow time Russian air defense systems intercepted and destroyed 110 Ukrainian fixed-wing unmanned aerial vehicles over Crimea, Belgorod, Bryansk, Kursk, Tula, Ryazan, Oryol, Lipetsk, Rostov, and Moscow RegionsRead moreRussia creates control system for group of drones using voice, text commandsBefore giving a command, the system also analyzes the capabilities of a particular robotic vehicle for implementing the assigned missionRead moreKremlin briefing covers Putin's birthday, probability of talks with TrumpRead morePutin to make two-day visit to Turkmenistan to take part in CIS summitVladimir Putin's first day on the Caspian coast will be devoted to protocol events related to the arrival of many distinguished guestsRead moreRussian delegation warns confrontation with West could enter most severe phaseAccording to Yulia Zhdanova, head of the Russian delegation to the Vienna talks on military security and arms control, Western politicians continue to intensify their military rhetoricRead moreRussia has 'clear conscience' over Ukraine talks in Alaska — LavrovAccording to the foreign minister, is not Russia's fault that the US side could not withstand the unprecedented and brazen pressure from Europe, which later proudly declared that it had ‘buried Anchorage’Read moreTokyo considers allowing nuclear weapons to be brought into Japan — newspaperA provision allowing nuclear weapons to be brought into the country as an exception may be included in new fundamental documents on security, which the Japanese government plans to adopt at the end of the yearRead moreUkraine’s attempts at agricultural intervention in EU market to hinder accession — envoyRodion Miroshnik said that Ukraine's neighboring countries "will most likely fight tooth and nail against Ukrainian agricultural products entering the European market and effectively suffocating farms"Read moreRussia develops drone interceptor flying with maximum speed of 500 km/hDOFA-Tek Technical Director Vitaly Dobrovolsky noted that the interceptor can be launched from any rooftop or the groundRead moreRussia achieves full technological sovereignty in hydropowerRussia’s General Scheme for the Development of Electric Power Facilities through 2042 envisages the commissioning of 6.7 GW of new hydropower generation capacity, comprising seven hydroelectric power plants and four pumped-storage power plantsRead moreTrump urges Xi Jinping to lift export restrictions on Japan — newspaperAccording to the newspaper, the US leader "framed the Chinese measures as a threat to American industries reliant on Japanese suppliers"Read moreRussia’s National Wealth Fund totals $151.85 bln as of October 1The fund’s liquid assets totaled $44.45 bln as of October 1, or 1.6% of GDP projected for 2026, equivalent to $45 blnRead moreBakery of father of 13 children, who died in drone attack, delivered bread to AlyoshkiSergey Georgiyev said that together with Alexander Kolotun they also planned to provide assistance to residents of frontline villages in winterRead moreKiev bridges' destruction disrupts Ukrainian security operations — underground resistanceThe same bridges and transport hubs are used to move security forces, transfer troops, supply materials, patrol areas, and transport military equipment, pro-Russian underground resistance saidRead moreThree DPR residents killed, eight wounded in Ukrainian attacks since start of dayThe attacks damaged three residential buildings, three infrastructure facilities, trucks and passenger carsRead moreBolshoi Ballet Company begins major tour in ChinaThe Bolshoi Ballet’s China tour runs from October 7 to 25, with performances in three cities - Beijing, Nanjing and ShanghaiRead moreKazakh president congratulates Putin on his birthdayPresident Kassym-Jomart Tokayev highlighted Vladimir Putin’s outstanding role in Russia’s development and his tireless efforts for the benefit of the Russian peopleRead moreRussia boost agricultural technologies exports by 15% this year — Agriculture MinisterLast year saw a "solid breakthrough" in the exports of Russian agricultural technologies, Oksana Lut saidRead moreNo reason for international uproar over Alyoshki situation — governorAccording to Vladimir Saldo, the situation in the Kherson Region city of Alyoshki is not so criticalRead moreThailand eyeing introduction of departure fee — newspaperThe collection of the fee is planned to be delegated to airlines, which will include it in the ticket price at the time of bookingRead moreRussia budgets nearly $468 mln for farm machinery programs in 2027-2029A total of $17.55 mln is expected to be allocated to DOM.RF’s preferential leasing program next yearRead moreRussia reports no drug trafficking from Ukraine amid special military operation — officialActing head of the Russian Interior Ministry’s Main Directorate for Narcotics Control Kirill Smurov recalled that the law enforcement agency had witnessed targeted drug trafficking from Ukraine to Russia at the turn of 2020Read moreWHO reports thousands of suspected plague cases worldwide each yearAccording to the Epidemic and Pandemic Preparedness and Prevention Department Director Maria Van Kerkhove, between 2019 and 2025, ten countries reported nearly 4,000 suspected human plague cases and 423 related deaths to the organizationRead moreBattlegroup North tank crews destroy more than 10 Ukrainian warehouses near KharkovAccording to a tank platoon commander, Battlegroup North troops are engaging Ukrainian targets from concealed firing positionsRead moreRussian troops use flamethrower system against Ukrainian forces Near Krasny LimanThe flamethrower system’s primary targets are temporary deployment sites, UAV control posts, and enemy troops concentrationsRead moreWest should not be surprised by fuel price hikes over Ukraine actions — Russian envoyYulia Zhdanova said Kiev has stepped up efforts to block Russian shipping in the Black and Azov Seas at the urging of its Western handlersRead moreMissile production plant in Ukraine halts production after Russian strikesProduction and warehouse facilities sustained serious damageRead moreNobel Prize in Chemistry 2026 awarded for discovery in asymmetric organic synthesisFrance’s Henri Kagan and Japan’s Kenso Soai have received the awardRead moreTwo reconnaissance aircraft spent nearly seven hours over Black SeaAccording to the source, the simultaneous operation of two such reconnaissance aircraft over the Black Sea is a relatively rare occurrenceRead moreLithuania plans to deploy army units to Kaliningrad border areaInterior Minister Martynas Katelynas called the deployment of the army a preventive measureRead moreRussia’s inflation stands at 0.96% from September 29 to October 5 — RosstatAccording to a review of the current price situation prepared by the Russian Economic Development Ministry, Russia’s annual inflation stood at 7.17% from September 29 through October 5Read moreRussian forces strike Ukrainian UAV assembly workshops over past day — top brassThe Ukrainian army lost roughly 1,440 troops in battles with Russian forces in all the frontline areas over the past 24 hoursRead moreTrump may order new strike on Iran before congressional elections — magazineNo final decision has been made yet, the magazine saidRead moreCIS countries need to coordinate within UN — secretary generalSergey Lebedev noted that Turkmenistan played a leading role at the UN as a neutral stateRead morePutin to spend 74th birthday attending to official dutiesThe Russian president has public events scheduled, though details were not disclosedRead moreFSB detains two residents of Trans-Baikal over election provocation plotOne of the suspects is a woman who was a member of a precinct election commissionRead moreBank of Russia lowers dollar rate to 85.48 rubles for October 8The official euro rate was increased by 29.74 kopecks to 96.3287 rublesRead moreYandex reports fire at data center following drone attackThere were no casualtiesRead moreWest’s course over next decade to determine its global standing — RubioUS Secretary of State Marco Rubio believes the collective West is at a crossroadsRead moreUkrainian drone attack kills father of 13 children, 15-year-old daughter in Kherson Region"This morning a Ukrainian drone attacked a passenger car near Rykovo of the Genichesk district," Vladimir Saldo saidRead more