Category: Putin, Vladimir V

A Finnish Official Plays the Cello to Support Ukraine, Irking Russia

Anders Adlercreutz’s recording of a patriotic Ukrainian song was widely circulated online, and prompted a response from Moscow.
Russia Seeds New Surveillance Tech to Squash Ukraine War Dissent

Russia is incubating a cottage industry of new digital surveillance tools to suppress domestic opposition to the war in Ukraine. The tech may also be sold overseas.
War in Ukraine Takes Its Toll on the Tchaikovsky Competition

With Russia a pariah in the West since its invasion of Ukraine, this usually prestigious event is underway with far fewer international participants.
Putin Tries to Rewrite the Story of What Happened With Wagner Mutiny

President Vladimir V. Putin appeared only once during a mercenary boss’s daylong mutiny against the military. He was all over Russian TV on Tuesday, seeking to project an image of control.
The Money Behind Yevgeny Prigozhin and the Wagner Group

The man who led a rebellion against President Vladimir Putin built a multinational commercial enterprise that helped fund his military operations.
Russia and Saudi Arabia’s Oil Partnership Shows Strain

Analysts said the countries’ mutual need to keep energy prices high would help them maintain close ties, despite signs that Moscow has undercut previous deals.
In a Sharp Reversal, Biden Opens a Path for Ukraine to Get Fighter Jets

The president told allied leaders that he would allow Ukrainian pilots to be trained on American-made F-16s, and is prepared to approve other countries’ transferring the jets to Ukraine.
Luxury Imports to Russia Take a Detour Around Sanctions — Through Dubai

More than a year into Vladimir Putin’s invasion, the web of global trade has adjusted to Western sanctions, with a network of middlemen sending cars, electronics and more to Russia.
Europe Plots a Diplomatic and Business Reset on China

President Emmanuel Macron of France and Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, arrived in China on Wednesday aiming to restart business and political ties.
Now Playing in China: Putin-Aligned Artists Shunned in the West

The New York Times – Music:
As Russia works to shore up its image and rebuild its soft power after its invasion of Ukraine, it is strengthening cultural ties with friendly nations, including China.
Xi and Putin Bind China and Russia’s Economies Further, Despite War in Ukraine

The New York Times – Business:
On the second day of the Chinese leader’s state visit in Moscow, Xi Jinping and Vladimir V. Putin declared an enduring economic partnership, in an effort to insulate their countries from punitive Western measures.
As War in Ukraine Grinds on, China Helps Refill Russian Drone Supplies

The New York Times – Business:
China has shipped more than $12 million in drones to Russia since it invaded Ukraine, in an indication of quiet collaboration between the two.