Oct 30, 2024 · Effective today, Sberbank is raising its average weighted interest rates on loans under Russia’s family mortgage program by 1–4 percentage points above the government-set limit. The exact hike on a particular loan will depend on the loan’s amount. Sberbank said its new policy responds to the Central Bank’s recent decision to raise its key interest rate to 21 percent.

Dec 30, 2024 · Key updates as of December 28, 2024. Ahead of any potential negotiations following Donald Trump’s January 20 inauguration, the Kremlin is trying to expand its territorial control in Ukraine’s Donbas. Russian forces are close to completing three major operations in the south and center of the region, bringing them near to encircling Velyka Novosilka and Kurakhove.

Dec 17, 2024 · This fall, American travel vlogger Thomas Bird (better known on YouTube as “Sabbatical Tommy”) learned the hard way that U.S. citizens risk the wrath of the police when visiting Russia. In late October, Bird drew the attention of law enforcement when he ventured too close to Russia’s border with China. After a series of meetings with police officers and federal agents, a judge in ...

Dec 25, 2024 · A passenger plane traveling from Baku, Azerbaijan, to Grozny in Russia’s Chechnya crashed Wednesday morning near Aktau in western Kazakhstan. At least 29 people survived the crash, according to Kazakhstan's Emergency Situations Ministry. The plane, an Embraer 190 operated by Azerbaijan Airlines, was carrying 64 passengers and five crew members, according to Kazakhstan’s Transport Ministry.

Feb 6, 2024 · A Moscow court has sentenced Oleksiy Arestovych, a former adviser to the Ukrainian president’s office, to two months in prison in absentia.. According to the Moscow courts’ press service, Arestovych stands accused of publicly calling for terrorism and spreading “disinformation” about the Russian army.

Dec 23, 2024 · Three years of all-out war has taken a massive toll on Ukraine. For villages in the Kharkiv region, more than two years have passed since Ukrainian troops pushed out occupying forces. But with Russian troops attacking along the northeastern border and pushing towards the strategic railway town of Kupyansk, the front line remains too close for comfort. Tens of thousands of people have been ...

Dec 18, 2024 · As the Russian authorities increasingly remove information from the public domain to reduce exposure to international sanctions, discourage public discontent, and prevent journalists from publishing inconvenient stories, data leaks have become more important than ever for understanding the country. This year, leaked documents shed light on topics ranging from Moscow’s domestic and foreign ...

Nov 21, 2024 · In a televised national address on Thursday, Vladimir Putin informed Russians and the world that he ordered a ballistic missile strike on a weapons factory in Ukraine in retaliation for U.S. and U.K. authorization (and alleged operational support) for longer-range attacks against targets inside Russia by Kyiv using American and British missiles. In his remarks, Putin denounced Washington’s ...

Dec 20, 2024 · One year ago, Russian blogger and TV presenter Nastya Ivleeva hosted a controversial party in Moscow with an “almost naked” dress code, inviting top celebrities (and, on the event’s less-exclusive second night, ordinary people) to carouse in minimal clothing. The event immediately sparked outrage, particularly among pro-war bloggers and censorship activists like Yekaterina Mizulina.

Dec 23, 2024 · The end of 2024 brought an unpleasant surprise for the Russian government. Inflation suddenly started to accelerate, outpacing forecasts significantly. The ruble hit 110 to the U.S. dollar, according to the Russian Central Bank’s official exchange rate, forcing the regulator to raise the key rate to a historic high, which triggered discontent among businesses. And all the while, Vladimir ...