Saudi Arabia and Russia have agreed to extend their voluntary oil production cuts through the end of 2021, a move that could help stabilize the global oil market and boost energy prices. The combined cuts of 1.3 million barrels of crude out of the global market are intended to “support the stability and balance of oil markets”, pushing benchmark Brent crude above $90 a barrel in trading Tuesday afternoon. The agreement comes despite President Joe Biden's warning of unspecified “consequences” for partnering with Russia on cuts.
Posts tagged as “Eastern Ukraine”
Four progressive candidates are running in a special primary election in Rhode Island to fill the congressional seat of former Rep. David Cicilline. Three conservative candidates are also vying for the seat, with little difference between them on the issues. The winner of the primary will be the first to break new demographic ground in Congress, and the results will be announced on Tuesday.
The Cuban Foreign Ministry has accused unnamed "enemies" of promoting false information to damage the country's image. They have also identified a human trafficking network that has coerced its citizens to fight for Russia in the war in Ukraine, and are working to dismantle it. The Ministry of the Interior is leading the effort to neutralize and dismantle the network, and has urged citizens to remain vigilant and report suspicious activities.
North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un is expected to travel to Russia to meet with President Vladimir Putin for talks on a potential arms sale to support Russia's war in Ukraine. The visit follows a July visit by Russia's defense minister to Pyongyang, and U.S. officials are actively advancing the negotiations. The outcome of the talks remains to be seen.
On Sunday, Russian forces launched a 3 ½ hour drone barrage on the Reni seaport in the Odesa region of Ukraine, resulting in two people being hospitalized. This attack occurred the day before Russian President Vladimir Putin was scheduled to meet with his Turkish counterpart to discuss the resumption of food shipments from Ukraine. Ukraine has been using cluster munitions on the front lines in the conflict with Russia, which has been condemned by the international community, urging both sides to come to a peaceful resolution.
On Wednesday, a plane crash north of Moscow killed mercenary leader Yevgeny Prigozhin and all 10 people on board, raising suspicions as Prigozhin had led a brief armed rebellion against the Russian military earlier this year. Gen. Sergei Surovikin, a top general linked to Prigozhin, was dismissed from his position as commander of the air force and has not been seen in public since the mutiny. The cause of the plane crash is still under investigation and it is unclear if Prigozhin’s death will be confirmed or if the crash was related to the mutiny.
Russian General Sergei Surovikin has been dismissed from his post as head of the country’s Aerospace Forces, following speculation about his involvement with the Wagner mercenary rebellion. Colonel General Viktor Afzalov is now temporarily acting as Commander-in-Chief of the Aerospace Forces, as Russia seeks to modernize its armed forces. It is unclear what role, if any, Surovikin will have in the future.
Yevgeny Prigozhin, the owner of the Wagner Group military contractor, has released a video of himself in military fatigues and holding a rifle, hinting at his location in Africa. The video appears to be a recruitment drive for the Wagner Group, and the exact whereabouts of Prigozhin remain unknown. The Wagner Group has been linked to the Kremlin and has been active in Syria, Ukraine, and other countries, and Prigozhin has been sanctioned by the U.S.