• chevron_right

      Russian producers target new market for dairy exports

      news.movim.eu / RTDailyNews · 11:04 · 1 minute

    Accreditation by Algeria of a plant in Novosibirsk “opens the gates to Africa,” the region’s agriculture minister has said

    A dairy factory in Novosibirsk, Russia’s third largest city, has been accredited to export its products to Algeria, Evgeny Leshchenko, the regional agriculture minister announced on Wednesday.

    Chanovsky Butter Factory, which is already accredited to ship to Kazakhstan, will now be able to supply goods to Algeria, a development that Leshchenko says “opens the gates to Africa.”

    “A fundamentally new direction is Africa, a fundamentally new position is livestock products…particularly dry dairy products,” the minister said.

    He pointed out that entering the African market would significantly boost milk processing volumes at the currently idle facilities.

    Leshchenko highlighted that the region could export four products: skimmed milk powder, whole milk powder, and two types of butter.

    Read more FILE PHOTO. The West warned of world hunger: Russia has met its promise of grain for Africa’s most-vulnerable

    In 2023, the region exported approximately 830 tons of raw milk every day, he mentioned.

    Novosibirsk Region exported 1,890,000 tons of agricultural products to 56 countries in 2023, which marked a 33% increase over 2022. Among the top importers of products from the region are Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Türkiye, and Kyrgyzstan.

    In addition to boosting trade ties, Russia has also donated 200,000 tons of food aid to six African nations. Burkina Faso, Zimbabwe, Mali, Somalia, Central African Republic, and Eritrea have each received up to 50,000 tons of grain from Russia.

    During a phone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Malian Interim President Assimi Goita expressed his gratitude for the wheat and fertilizers sent by Moscow, the press service of the Kremlin reported on Wednesday.

    • wifi_tethering open_in_new

      This post is public

      www.rt.com /africa/595052-novosibirsk-dairy-product-exports-africa/

    • Pictures 1 image

    • visibility
    • chevron_right

      Germany probes prosecution in Russian tycoon’s case – Bild

      news.movim.eu / RTDailyNews · 10:43 · 1 minute

    Alisher Usmanov has taken legal action over unlawful raids on his properties in the country

    German authorities have launched a criminal probe targeting two investigators in Frankfurt after Russian businessman Alisher Usmanov filed a complaint over violation of his rights, Bild reported on Wednesday, citing the general prosecutor’s office.

    A criminal case was initiated against two public prosecutors on the basis of pleas lodged by two people, according to the office’s spokesman, Dominique Mies, who said that one of the complainants is a “70-year-old businessman from the Russian Federation.”

    Usmanov’s representative confirmed his filing the complaint, but refused to provide further comments “while legal proceedings are ongoing,” Russian business daily RBK reported.

    The case was launched on suspicion of non-cooperation with public justice and prosecution of the innocent, Bild wrote, adding that Usmanov’s appeal is linked to raids on his properties in Germany carried out in 2022 and declared illegal by a regional court in Frankfurt last May.

    The Frankfurt court previously ruled that searches conducted in the city of Rottach-Eggern, on a yacht in Hamburg, and at the apartment of Usmanov’s friends were illegal, pointing to “serious deficiencies” in the warrants requested by Frankfurt’s Public Prosecutor’s Office at the time.

    Read more FILE PHOTO: Alisher Usmanov EU court dismisses Russian tycoon’s sanctions appeal

    The court also invalidated a search at the offices of the businessman’s lawyers in Munich. Commenting on the ruling, Usmanov’s representative said that it confirmed the “baselessness of accusations” against him.

    The Uzbek-born businessman holds a major stake in USM, a Russian investment group with holdings in Metalloinvest, one of the world’s largest iron ore producers, and telecommunications company MegaFon. Usmanov’s net worth totals $14.4 billion, according to Forbes. In 2022, he was added to the US, UK, and EU sanctions lists. Authorities froze some of the billionaire’s assets. Brussels explained its blacklisting of Usmanov by saying he has “particularly close ties” with Russian authorities and actively supports Moscow’s policies in relation to Ukraine.

    The tycoon lodged an objection with the European Court of Justice, but his appeal was dismissed. German investigators suspect Usmanov of money laundering and tax evasion. The businessman has denied the allegations.

    For more stories on economy & finance visit RT's business section

    • wifi_tethering open_in_new

      This post is public

      www.rt.com /news/595046-germany-probes-prosecutors-usmanov-rights/

    • Pictures 1 image

    • visibility
    • chevron_right

      French strongly fear new terrorist attacks - poll

      news.movim.eu / RTDailyNews · 10:21 · 1 minute

    A large number of people fear new assaults in the wake of the mass shooting in Russia, a poll has shown

    French citizens strongly fear that the country could be hit by a terrorist attack in the coming weeks or months, a poll published on Thursday has shown.

    The survey, conducted after a terrorist attack on a packed music venue outside Moscow last week, and a few months before the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, has revealed significant alarm over a potential assault, with an average score of 7 out of 10 points on the fear scale among those interviewed. The 0 mark indicates ‘very low fear’ of a terrorist attack, while 10 corresponds to ‘very high fear’.

    The survey was carried out by the CSA institute for CNews, Europe 1, and Le Journal du Dimanche on March 26 and 27 among 1,013 people aged 18 and over. It showed a notable gap in the level of vigilance between men and women. The data showed that women are more concerned about a potential terrorist attack threat, giving an average score of 7.3 compared to 6.7 displayed by men.

    Analysis by age group revealed that French youth, particularly those under the age of 35, are the most affected by anxiety on the issue. People aged 35 to 49 seem to be less concerned, while fear increases slightly among adults over 50.

    READ MORE: France raises terrorism threat level

    According to the researchers, the numbers could reflect a variety of factors, including differences in public engagement, exposure to media sources, and sensitivity to public policies.

    Reinforced security measures have been in place in France since a wave of terrorist attacks in January 2015, when a group of Islamists killed 17 people in Paris and its suburbs. In November of that year, France saw one of the deadliest Islamist attacks in its history, when suicide bombers and gunmen hit a concert hall, a major stadium, restaurants, and bars in Paris, killing 130 people.

    Following the terrorist attack in Russia on Friday, which left 143 people dead, France raised the terrorism alert level across the country to its highest level.

    • wifi_tethering open_in_new

      This post is public

      www.rt.com /news/595049-france-terrorist-attack-fear-poll/

    • Pictures 1 image

    • visibility
    • chevron_right

      Russia exits cost Western firms over $100 billion – Reuters

      news.movim.eu / RTDailyNews · 10:09 · 1 minute

    Moscow has introduced tight requirements for companies wishing to divest, ensuring local buyers receive major discounts on businesses that are leaving

    Western companies that have left the Russian market amid sanctions have suffered billions in write-downs and lost revenue, Reuters reported on Thursday, citing calculations based on company filings and statements.

    The US and its allies have placed unprecedented sanctions on Russia over the past two years in retaliation for Moscow’s military operation against Ukraine. The measures have led to significant problems for Western firms operating in Russia, including with payments and supply chains, while some international companies have also been shamed by Ukraine and its backers into quitting the country.

    According to Reuters, exiting Russia has cost foreign companies over $107 billion, a 30% increase since the news outlet’s previous tally in August. The report indicated that the increase in losses largely stems from Moscow’s tight requirements for firms wishing to divest, which include a 50% discount on their assets and a mandatory fee to the Russian budget of at least 10% of the price.

    Several divestment deals have been made for a nominal fee of as little as 1 ruble, as in the case of French carmaker Renault. The car giant left Russia in May 2022 and reported a write-down of over $2 billion as a result of the withdrawal from its second-biggest market.

    Reports vary on the number of companies that have exited Russia since 2022. The Yale School of Management puts the number at about 1,000 firms, while KSE’s Leave Russia project claims that only 372 have completed their withdrawal. Meanwhile, hundreds of foreign companies continue to operate in the country, including French retailer Auchan, US snack giant Mondelez International, Nestle, and Unilever.

    Read more US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Austrian Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg during a joint press conference in Vienna. 95% of Western companies stayed in Russia – Austrian foreign minister

    Many producers of consumer goods and everyday products have refrained from leaving the Russian market, arguing that ordinary citizens rely on their products. Some also admit that leaving would cost them too much.

    Moscow has said it will not stop foreign businesses from leaving, but only on its terms . It also considers the withdrawal of Western firms to be a lucrative opportunity for domestic companies, which can expand their portfolios by acquiring the assets of exiting firms and continuing their operations.

    For more stories on economy & finance visit RT's business section

    • wifi_tethering open_in_new

      This post is public

      www.rt.com /business/595044-firms-leaving-russia-losses/

    • Pictures 1 image

    • visibility
    • chevron_right

      Kremlin urges Telegram to work harder to prevent terrorism

      news.movim.eu / RTDailyNews · 10:02 · 1 minute

    A chat on the popular app was allegedly used by organizers of the concert hall massacre in Russia to recruit the perpetrators

    Telegram should work harder to deny terrorists the use of its platform, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has said in the wake of the Crocus City Hall attack.

    The alleged perpetrators of the massacre last Friday were reportedly engaged by the organizers though a Telegram group, which was operating in the name of the Afghanistan-based splinter organization of Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS).

    Peskov was asked on Thursday whether the messenger app faces a ban in Russia because of this. He said this is not the case, but urged the owner, Pavel Durov, to “pay more attention” to the misuse of the platform.

    ”This unique and technologically phenomenal service, which flourished in our generation, is increasingly becoming a tool for terrorists, used for terrorist purposes,” Peskov told Russian online tabloid Life.

    Read more FILE PHOTO: GUR head Kirill Budanov. Telegram a national security issue – Ukraine’s top spy

    The Dubai-based Russian-born tech entrepreneur and champion of free speech has faced accusations of insufficient moderation on the platform for years. Its ‘renegade’ reputation is at odds with the goal of profitability, as large advertisers tend to shy away from controversy, the Financial Times said earlier this month.

    Durov told the British newspaper that he has plans to “deploy AI-related mechanisms to address potential issues,” but as a matter of principle, he believes Telegram should not be “policing people in the way they express themselves” in most cases.

    Russia identified four people as the suspects directly involved in the gun and arson attack, which claimed over 140 lives. They were intercepted hours after the rampage in a Russian region that borders Ukraine.

    President Vladimir Putin has described them as radical Islamists. He suggested that Islamic State Khorasan, which claimed credit for the attack, may not be the actual mastermind.

    READ MORE: Terrorism suspects came to the EU through Ukraine – media

    A spokeswoman for the St. Petersburg court system, Darya Lebedeva, reported on Wednesday that a man who was allegedly a member of the same Telegram chat was found to be in violation of Russian migration laws. A judge ordered his deportation, she said.

    According to sources in law enforcement cited by Russian media, the group in question was tailored for Tajik audiences and has since been deleted.

    • wifi_tethering open_in_new

      This post is public

      www.rt.com /russia/595045-telegram-chat-crocus-deportation/

    • Pictures 1 image

    • visibility
    • chevron_right

      Another African leader talks Sahel security with Putin

      news.movim.eu / RTDailyNews · 09:39 · 1 minute

    Mali and Russia have discussed measures to improve regional stability, where the EU is concerned about declining influence

    Russia and Mali will intensify cooperation in the fight against terrorism in the Sahel region, which has endured a decades-long jihadist insurgency, the two nations announced in separate statements on Wednesday.

    The agreement was reached during a phone conversation between the West African nation’s interim leader, Assimi Goita, and Russian President Vladimir Putin, according to the Kremlin.

    “The presidents discussed further steps to strengthen Russia-Mali ties in various fields, including the implementation of joint projects in energy, agriculture, and mining sector,” the statement said.

    During the call, the Malian military leader strongly condemned the terrorist attack on the Crocus City Hall concert venue, which according to Russian authorities killed over 140 people and injured 200 more.

    Goita also wrote on X (formerly Twitter) that he and President Putin “discussed bilateral issues, particularly security and economic areas,” and “agreed to cooperate further in the fight against terrorism.”

    The call with Mali’s president came just a day after Putin spoke to Niger’s transitional leader, Abdourahamane Tchiani, with both men pledging to coordinate counterterrorism efforts in the Sahel, where some governments in the region have cancelled security deals with Western partners.

    Read more FILE PHOTO: Abdourahmane Tchiani and other army commanders held a meeting in the capital, Niamey, Niger on July 28, 2023. African leader holds defense talks with Putin despite US concerns

    Mali, Niger, and neighboring Burkina Faso, all under military rule, recently formed an alliance and have strengthened ties with Russia, particularly on security, in order to tackle extremist violence which they said French troops failed to quell.

    Moscow’s relations with Bamako, Ouagadougou, and Niamey have stirred discontent in the EU since French troops were booted out by all three. In January, EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said the bloc faces a dilemma over its remaining presence in the Sahel region, mainly in Mali, where he claims Moscow’s influence has increased.

    Last week, the US expressed concern about Nigerien authorities’ growing ties with Russia and Iran after Niamey’s military government canceled an agreement that allowed some 1,000 American troops and civilian contractors to operate in the landlocked country.

    Responding to allegations that Russia was inciting anti-French sentiment in Africa earlier this month, President Putin said Moscow only maintains friendly relations on the continent, which should not offend the West.

    • wifi_tethering open_in_new

      This post is public

      www.rt.com /africa/595047-mali-russia-sahel-security-talks/

    • Pictures 1 image

    • visibility
    • chevron_right

      Ukraine’s army in ‘stagnation’ – Zelensky’s top adviser

      news.movim.eu / RTDailyNews · 09:38 · 1 minute

    Mikhail Podoliak has blamed weapons and ammo shortages for Kiev’s inability to mount major operations against Russia

    Ukrainian forces have reached a state of “stagnation” on the battlefield because the West is failing to provide Kiev with enough military equipment to make any substantial progress, President Vladimir Zelensky’s top adviser has said.

    Speaking to NV Radio on Wednesday, Mikhail Podoliak complained that Kiev does not have enough resources to mount effective offensive actions that would undermine Russia.

    “In general, [there is] a slow supply of resources to Ukraine, slow decision-making on appropriate tools, a certain stagnation along the front line,” he said, admitting that Kiev’s forces are completely on the defensive in Russia’s Donetsk, Lugansk and Zaporozhye regions.

    This stagnation, Podoliak argued, is due to inadequate Western sanctions, which he said are not strong enough to suffocate Russia’s military industry. The other factor, he added, is insufficient arms supplies from the West. “[We are talking about] drones, munitions… and considerably ramping up investment in ammo production. We see that all this is moving slowly.”

    Read more FILE PHOTO: European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell No light at end of Ukrainian tunnel – EU’s Borrell

    However, he said “stagnation” does not mean “stalemate,” because that would imply that “Ukraine does not know what to do in this war,” which he said is not the case. Ukraine’s former top general Valery Zaluzhny described the situation as a stalemate in November after Kiev’s much-hyped summer counteroffensive failed to break through Russian lines, despite being reinforced by large quantities of Western equipment.

    His “stalemate” remarks reinvigorated debate about whether Ukraine could ever hope to win the conflict, and were widely seen as a sign of a growing rift between Zaluzhny and Zelensky. The Ukrainian president fired the general last month, with his replacement, Aleksandr Syrsky, saying that the frontline situation was “extremely difficult.”

    Ukrainian troops have been on the back foot in recent weeks after Russian forces liberated the strategic Donbass city of Avdeevka, and later pushed Kiev out of several nearby settlements.

    Officials in Kiev have repeatedly linked the lack of battlefield success to a deficit of Western-supplied munitions. This comes as the US has struggled for months to approve President Joe Biden’s proposed $60 billion supplemental aid package for Ukraine due to Republican opposition in Congress, with GOP representatives demanding more efforts to increase security on the Mexican border.

    • wifi_tethering open_in_new

      This post is public

      www.rt.com /russia/595050-ukraine-army--stagnation/

    • Pictures 1 image

    • visibility
    • chevron_right

      Macron makes nuclear offer to BRICS nation

      news.movim.eu / RTDailyNews · 08:09 · 2 minutes

    Brazil is developing its own nuclear-powered submarine based on a French design

    French President Emmanuel Macron offered to help Brazil with the development of a nuclear-powered submarine during an official visit to the South American country.

    Macron spoke at a ceremony near Rio de Janeiro on Wednesday, hosted by his Brazilian counterpart, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, during the launch of the Tonelero (S42), Brazil’s third Riachuelo class diesel-electric submarine, which is based on the French Scorpene class.

    “I want us to open the chapter for new submarines,” moving towards nuclear propulsion “while being perfectly respectful of all non-proliferation commitments,” Macron said, adding: “you want it, France will be at your side.”

    Brazil’s Submarine Development Program (PROSUB) was laid out in 2008, after a security pact between Lula and then-President Nicolas Sarkozy led to plans to modernize Brazil’s navy. The fifth vessel of the program, the Alvaro Alberto, is planned to be nuclear-powered.

    Read more HMS Vanguard sits in dock at Faslane Submarine base on the river Clyde December 4, 2006 in Helensburgh, Scotland British nuclear submarine test fails

    With an enormous coastline, and 95% of its imports and 90% of its national supplies of oil coming from the sea, PROSUB was set up to defend Brazil’s strategic resources, while developing the country’s shipbuilding and providing thousands of jobs.

    French defense company Naval Group has provided support in designing modifications to the hull to fit a nuclear reactor – but Paris has been hesitant to provide Brasilia nuclear propulsion technology due to fears of breaking non-proliferation commitments.

    Thus far, only the five permanent members of the UN Security Council – Russia, the US, UK, China, and France – and India, possess nuclear-powered submarines. Brazil is a non-nuclear-weapon state party to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT), but its norms do not technically prohibit it from building its own naval nuclear reactors and enriching its own uranium to fuel it.

    Read more FILE PHOTO: A general view of construction work at Hinkley Point C on May 05, 2022 in Bridgwater, England. UK commits nearly $1bn to nuclear program

    Brazil’s peaceful atomic energy program at this time is entirely homegrown, with a full cycle of uranium fuel enrichment and two nuclear power stations. The design of the nuclear boiler for the prospective vessel has also so far been completely Brazilian.

    Earlier, China raised fears of the NPT being compromised after the US and UK announced the trilateral AUKUS security pact with Australia in 2021, along with the sale of three US nuclear subs and the transfer of US nuclear technology.

    China has warned that the AUKUS pact undermines the NPT, noting that it marks a dangerous precedent of handing over nuclear propulsion reactors and large-amounts of weapons-grade enriched uranium to a non-nuclear weapon state. Beijing expressed concern that there is no guarantee that Australia could not divert the uranium to build nuclear weapons.

    • wifi_tethering open_in_new

      This post is public

      www.rt.com /news/595035-macron-nuclear-offer-brics/

    • Pictures 1 image

    • visibility
    • chevron_right

      Germany had no prior knowledge of Moscow terror attack – Scholz

      news.movim.eu / RTDailyNews · 07:20 · 2 minutes

    US intelligence agencies, however, probably had clues ahead of the shooting at Crocus City Hall, the chancellor has claimed

    Germany had no prior information on preparations for the terrorist attack that claimed more than 140 lives at a concert venue just outside Moscow last week, Chancellor Olaf Scholz has said.

    On Friday, a group of gunmen armed with automatic rifles stormed the Crocus City Hall ahead of a rock concert, indiscriminately shooting civilians and setting the venue on fire. Several suspects, including four directly involved in the assault, were later detained by the Russian security services.

    The attack is so far confirmed to have claimed 143 lives and injured nearly 200 people, making it the deadliest in Russia since the early 2000s.

    Russian President Vladimir Putin has described the alleged culprits as “radical Islamists,” saying they were caught fleeing towards Ukraine, where a window to cross the border was being arranged for them.

    Read more Flowers and toys are placed on the roadside in front of the burned-out Crocus City Hall in Moscow Region following a terrorist attack, March 27, 2024. US trying to cover up ‘something’ related to Moscow terror attack – Kremlin

    In an interview with the Markische Allgemeine newspaper on Thursday, Scholz denied having any prior knowledge about plans for the attack.

    He suggested, however, that “US [security] services probably had clues,” adding that Washington’s policy is to warn other countries of impending terrorist attacks whenever it receives information.

    “They even issued a public warning. It is all the more regrettable that this terrible terrorist attack still took place,” the chancellor added.

    Scholz was apparently referring to a security alert issued by the US Embassy in Moscow on March 7, warning that it was “monitoring reports that extremists have imminent plans to target large gatherings in Moscow, to include concerts,” and that this could occur within the next 48 hours. The White House also said that it had shared information about a potential attack with Russian authorities.

    The head of Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB), Aleksandr Bortnikov, has confirmed that the US warned Moscow of a potential terrorist attack, but noted that the information was “general” in nature. Russian authorities “had taken appropriate measures,” he added, noting that they had targeted a group of individuals and that “[the] information did not check out at the time.”

    Bortnikov has also suggested that along with Ukraine, the US and the UK may have played a role in the Crocus shooting. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has voiced suspicion about Washington’s categorical denial of any involvement by Kiev in the attack, as well as the US willingness to insist on the sole narrative that the shooting was carried out by Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS) terrorists.

    • wifi_tethering open_in_new

      This post is public

      www.rt.com /news/595037-scholz-germany-no-data-crocus-shooting/

    • Pictures 1 image

    • visibility