Latest Articles about Economics
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Russia More Dependent on Raw Materials Exports Now Than in 2008
Perhaps no failure of Vladimir Putin’s casts a darker shadow on Russia’s future than the decisions he has made that increased Russian dependence on the export of raw materials. This economic reliance is today higher than it was at the time of the 2008 financial... MORE
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Belarus Caught in Diplomatic Spat With France, Row Over Oil Duties With Russia
In late August, the Ukrainian magazine Tizhden published excerpts from a book by the former president of France, François Hollande, Les Leçons de Pouvoir (The Lessons of Power). The passages touch upon Hollande’s impressions of the night of February 11/12, 2015, which he spent in... MORE
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Ukraine Considers Canceling Rail, Bus Connections With Russia
Ukraine’s Infrastructure Minister Volodymyr Omelyan has been stepping up his insistence that train and bus routes to Russia should be canceled. Such a decision would need to be approved by President Petro Poroshenko. Omelyan’s recommendation is driven by security concerns: Kyiv alleges that visitors from... MORE
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Putin Pivots From Western Pressure, but Finds Scant Solace in the East
The annual Russia-hosted Eastern Economic Forum is about to open (September 11–13) in Vladivostok, and President Vladimir Putin has arrived there to greet the leaders of China, Japan, Mongolia and South Korea. This carefully prepared ceremony should provide relief for him from the mounting tensions... MORE
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Putin Now Pursuing Multiple Long-Term Goals in Central Africa
Shocking news at the end of July of the murder of three independent Russian journalists investigating the activity of a Russian private defense company in the Central African Republic (CAR) was followed a month later with the signing of a military cooperation agreement between that... MORE
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Risky Business: A Case Study of PRC Investment in Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan
China’s “New Silk Road” or “Belt and Road Initiative” (BRI) has reached Central Asia in resounding fashion. As a result, the republics of Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan have seen large increases in Chinese presence and investment. Although both countries have overlapping needs, the degree and character... MORE
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Kyrgyz Authorities Clash With Owners of Massive Kumtor Gold Mine
In mid-July, Kyrgyzstan’s capital of Bishkek hosted a roundtable dedicated to the future of the Kumtor Gold Mine, one of the largest gold deposits in the world. According to Kumtor Gold Co., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Canada’s Centerra Gold, which operates the mine, the deposit... MORE
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Ukraine’s Defense Industry Slowly Moves Toward Adopting NATO Standards
Ukraine has begun mass producing ammunition for 40-millimeter automatic grenade launchers, the state defense industry monopoly Ukroboronprom recently announced. This caliber is widely used by the militaries of North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) member states; whereas, the Ukrainian Armed Forces have, thus far, utilized mainly... MORE
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To Boost Statistics, Russia Producing Rocket Engines No One Wants
The Soviet economy was notorious for producing goods no one wanted to buy so that managers could put out the kind of statistics the Communist Party bosses wanted. Something similar now appears to be going on in Russia’s beleaguered space industry: Its firms are continuing... MORE
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China Pursuing Dominance of Northern Sea Route
In January 2018, Beijing issued a White Paper on its strategic approach to the Northern Sea Route (NSR). The document notes China wants to take advantage of this shortcut to Europe and the possibilities it opens for extracting natural resources from the Arctic seabed as... MORE