Geo Political Risk

[Panda-NZ-]

Russia has awoken the blue dragon, with thousands of years of experience doing the same stuff russia is doing today.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Py-nk6e-FSI

Sweden, finland to join NATO? Germany defence budget is now larger than Russia.

[Davexl]

Guardian

6m ago 01:44

Ukrainian authorities have said a nuclear research facility has been bombed by Russian forces, accusing Moscow of “nuclear terrorism”.

Ukrainian newspaper, the Kyiv Independent, said the Kharkiv institute - home to experimental nuclear reactor - had been bombed, citing an announcement from the State Inspectorate for Nuclear Regulation of Ukraine.

According to the inspectorate, the facility was struck with damage to the exterior and possibly numerous labs throughout the building.
No injuries or fatalities have been reported.

[Davexl]

The alternate point of view...

‘A necessary war’: reporting on the Ukraine ‘disagreement’ outside the west

https://www.theguardian.com/world/20...tside-the-west

[Panda-NZ-]

China's comments should be concerning to europe.

They picked the side with only $1.71t gdp (lots of fraud which china will be familiar with) vs $20T of credible value.

[Davexl]

Oil traders - be careful out there...

10m ago 21:26
Oil prices fall again after volatile week

Martin Farrer

The price of oil slipped back again on Friday and is set to record its biggest weekly drops since November after see-sawing on fears that more countries would ban Russian imports, balanced against other big producers bringing on more supply.

Brent crude, the international benchmark, fell 1.42% to $107.78 at 2.25am GMT after dropping 1.6% in the previous session. US West Texas intermediate crude fell 0.13% to $105.88 a barrel, following a 2.5% decline on Thursday.


The Brent crude oil price this week so far. Photograph: Refinitiv

Having touched a 14-year high of $139.13 a barrel on Monday, Brent is on course to drop 7% on the week. It moved in a range of $25 on Thursday after the United Arab Emirates appeared to indicate that it would pump more oil to ease the ban on Russian supplies to the UK and US.
But the situation remains volatile and there seems little relief in sight for drivers being pummelled by rocketing fuel costs in many western countries.

Neil Wilson, an analyst at Markets.com in London, said: “For now markets are trading these headlines and crude remains super-volatile... treacherous markets.”

[Davexl]

9m ago 02:35

The council of the European Union has “acknowledged the European aspirations” of Ukraine with EU leaders agreeing to support Ukraine in “pursuing its European path”.
European council president Charles Michel said “without delay” EU leaders “will further strengthen our bonds and deepen our partnership to support Ukraine in pursuing its European path”.
In a statement the council said:

The European Council acknowledged the European aspirations and the European choice of Ukraine ... The Council has acted swiftly and invited the Commission to submit its opinion on this application in accordance with the relevant provisions of the Treaties. Pending this and without delay, we will further strengthen our bonds and deepen our partnership to support Ukraine in pursuing its European path. Ukraine belongs to our European family...

[Davexl]

Guardian

Recently released satellite images made available by US space technology firm Maxar Technologies provide a closer look at the unfolding situation on the ground in Ukraine.

The photos reveal a massive convoy of Russian troops that had stalled outside the Ukrainian capital largely dispersed and redeployed out into towns and forests near Kyiv, with artillery pieces moved into firing positions.

One image shows some of Russian military vehicles repositioned along a line of trees near the village of Lubyanka, about 50km north-west of Kyiv.

Several of the redeployments shown in the satellite images appear near Antonov International Airport, which lies between Lubyanka and Kyiv, and suggests that the vehicles have not made any significant progress towards the capital...

[Davexl]

Guardian

US Congress passes $13.6bn in aid for Ukraine

The US Congress has just passed a spending bill late Thursday evening, including $13.6bn in emergency aid for Ukraine.
Senators in the legislative body’s upper chamber followed their House of Representatives colleagues, who green-lit the $1.5-trillion package on Wednesday.

Senate democratic majority leader Chuck Schumer said:

We’re keeping our promise to support Ukraine as they fight for their lives against the evil Vladimir Putin.
With nearly $14 billion in emergency aid, Congress will approve more than double what the administration originally requested.”

Senate approved the overall $1.5 trillion overall legislation by a 68-31 bipartisan margin, the Associated Press reports.

[Davexl]

Guardian

03:37 US president Joe Biden will ratchet up the economic pressure on Vladimir Putin on Friday by calling for the end of normal trade relations with Russia, according to reports.
The move, reported by Reuters and Bloomberg citing anonymous Biden administration sources, would clear the way for increased tariffs on Russian imports and comes on top of widespread sanctions and the decision this week to ban oil imports from Russia by the US and UK.
Removing Russia’s status of “permanent normal trade relations” will require an act of Congress, one senior administration official told Reuters. But lawmakers in both houses of Congress have expressed support for such a move.


Peopleoutside a currency exchange office in Moscow. Photograph: Sergei Karpukhin/TASS

Outlawing all US trade with Russia would deepen the already serious economic problems facing Putin’s regime.Earlier on Thursday, the head of the International Monetary Fund said it expected to cut its global growth estimate due to the economic damage caused by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.In addition to the damage to Ukraine, western sanctions will lead to a “sharp contraction” of the Russian economy, Kristalina Georgieva said.

Russia is “moving into a deep recession” with massive depreciation of the ruble and sinking purchasing power for its citizens, she said, adding that a debt default is no longer “an improbable event.

[Patrick11]

Chelsea F.C could go bust due to sanctions put on club and is basically owned by the UK govt and the losers are the fans