France again boards a tanker linked to Russian oil trade
According to Bloomberg, the tanker in question is the Tagor, which departed from Russia’s Murmansk and is subject to international restrictions.
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Russian banks allowed to defend themselves against drones
According to Reuters, Russia has passed a law allowing the Central Bank, Sberbank and other financial organizations to operate anti-drone systems independently and to arm staff in order to protect facilities without the mandatory involvement of special forces.
Russians Are Paying Less Attention to the War as Fatigue Starts to Show, Levada Poll Finds
In April 2026, 43% of respondents said they were closely following developments around the war in Ukraine, the lowest reading recorded by the pollster.
Ship Signals in the Persian Gulf Go Haywire as Tensions Around Hormuz Escalate
According to Bloomberg, dozens of ships in tracking systems suddenly began appearing not at sea, but on land — deep inside the territory of the United Arab Emirates and near the border with Oman.
Governors Seek Cash as Moscow Holds Back Oil Windfall
Finance Minister Anton Siluanov has said the combined deficit of Russia’s regional budgets has already reached 1.5 trillion rubles and could widen to 1.9 trillion rubles by the end of the year.
Drone Hits Upscale Moscow High-Rise Ahead of Victory Day Parade
Bloomberg notes that Russian air defenses usually intercept drones on the approaches to the capital or in the suburbs, making the hit on a building in an upscale district not only a military episode but also a symbolically sensitive event.
Zhirinovsky’s Afterlife as a State Project
One might have thought that Zhirinovsky’s death would also erase the very logic of the LDPR’s existence — a party built around a single person. But in a system where symbols often matter more than institutions, death is not the end of a political career. It is its next phase.
Russia’s Poverty Rate Hits a Record Low on Paper, but the Real Picture Looks Far Worse
In March 2026, Russia’s state statistics service, Rosstat, reported that the country’s poverty rate had fallen to a historic low of 6.7%, or 9.8 million people.
Attacks on Draft Officers in Ukraine Are Increasing as Mobilization Turns Into an Internal Front
Attacks on draft officers no longer look like isolated outbursts — they are becoming a symptom of the broader collapse of trust between the state and society.
How Much Could Iran Earn From Controlling the Strait of Hormuz?
Iran’s proposed $1–$2 per barrel transit fee could generate up to $14 billion annually, shifting costs to Gulf exporters while posing legal risks tied to sanctions on the IRGC.
European airports on the brink of a fuel crisis
According to the Financial Times, citing industry sources, if disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz persist, the EU could face a “systemic” jet fuel deficit within the next three weeks.
Germany Reconsiders Nuclear Power Amid Surging Energy Prices
According to the Financial Times, rising energy costs have pushed nuclear power back into the center of Germany’s policy debate.
Sri Lanka Seeks Alternatives: Talks with Russia Amid Energy Market Turmoil
According to Bloomberg, the country is considering imports of gasoline and diesel as traditional supply routes come under pressure.
