https://oilprice.com/Latest-Energy-...tural-Gas-Pipeline-to-China-Faces-Delays.html Massive New Russian Natural Gas Pipeline to China Faces Delays By Tsvetana Paraskova - Jan 29, 2024, 5:00 AM CST Russia and China are still at odds over the costs and delivery prices of a new major Russian natural gas pipeline to China, which could lead to delays in construction, according to the prime minister of Mongolia, which is planned to host a section of the infrastructure. “The Chinese and Russian sides are still doing the calculations and estimations and they are working on the economic benefits,” Mongolia’s Prime Minister Luvsannamsrai Oyun-Erdene told the Financial Times in an interview published this weekend. “Those two sides still need more time to do more detailed research on the economic studies,” the Mongolian official told FT. The delay in the agreements suggests that Russia would have to wait more years than originally anticipated in order to have a larger gas pipeline outlet in China that could partly replace the gas volumes it has lost on the European market. Currently, Russia supplies pipeline gas to China via the Power of Siberia pipeline, one of the biggest projects recently completed by Gazprom and the first conduit for Russian gas to China. Now, there’s talk about the Power of Siberia 2, but negotiations between Russia and China haven’t progressed much. An agreement on the Power of Siberia 2 has not been reached yet due to some sticking points, including the prices at which Gazprom will deliver the gas. The Power of Siberia 2 pipeline was designed to ship gas from Russia’s Western Siberia Altai region to northeast China via Mongolia. Russia could launch construction of the Mongolia section of the major natural gas pipeline to China as early as in the first quarter of 2024, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Viktoria Abramchenko said at the end of last year. The design for the Mongolian section of Power of Siberia 2, Soyuz Vostok, is expected to be approved in the first quarter of 2024 and construction could begin then, Deputy Prime Minister Abramchenko said in October 2023, as quoted by Russian news agency TASS.
Burkina Faso says it has received 25,000 tonnes of free wheat from Russia. Naturally this is wheat that was stolen from Ukraine. Sad that Russia is using food security as a bargaining chip in an attempt to find any country -- including in starving Africa -- to support Putin. Is this a good time to ask how the food lines and egg supply are doing in motherland Russia? Burkina Faso thanks Russia for 'priceless gift' of wheat https://news.yahoo.com/taking-away-trump-business-empire-061712563.html
https://www.yahoo.com/news/secret-putin-home-finnish-border-165332451.html Secret Putin home on Finnish border revealed by drone – complete with £8,000 bidets and ‘stolen’ waterfall
Such a shame Russia can't heat itself this winter. Ukraine self-sufficient in natural gas needs for first heating season in history https://news.yahoo.com/ukraine-self-sufficient-natural-gas-072425005.html?fr=sycsrp_catchall
Soon Russia will not have any meaningful internet technology businesses. Russian Tech Giant Reaches $5 Billion Deal to Quit Russia Yandex, often called “Russia’s Google,” said it reached a deal to sell off its assets in the market where it made its fortune, after the war in Ukraine upended its operations. https://ghostarchive.org/archive/ntVXw
Chinese banks are getting cold feet dealing with Russia https://finance.yahoo.com/news/chinese-banks-getting-cold-feet-053941640.html?fr=sycsrp_catchall One key Chinese bank used by Russian importers for transactions has halted all transactions with Russian firms, per Vedomosti. Chinese lenders have stepped up compliance checks following US secondary sanctions over Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The Kremlin has acknowledged the issues and said it's working with Beijing to solve them. China's banks appear to be having cold feet about dealing with Russian firms. One key Chinese bank — Zhejiang Chouzhou Commercial Bank — used by Russian importers has halted all transactions, Vedomosti, a Russian business media outlet, reported on Wednesday, citing three businessmen who were affected. Bank clients were informed of the move last week, according to Vedomosti. Russian businesses are now worried about a "logistics collapse" should the bank not resume payment settlements after the weeklong Chinese New Year holiday that starts on Friday, an unnamed source told Vedomosti. Other Chinese banks are also tightening compliance checks when dealing with Russian businesses, per the media outlet. The Kremlin has acknowledged the issues, with spokesperson Dmitry Peskov saying authorities are "working" on addressing them with Beijing. "We have a close dialogue with our Chinese friends and, of course, we will solve all the problems that arise," Peskov said in a press briefing on Wednesday, per AFP. Russia's issues with Chinese banks came weeks after the US in December authorized secondary sanctions targeting financial institutions that help Russia skirt sanctions, proving the effectiveness of these controversial trade restrictions. Russian firms trading internationally have become more dependent on Chinese institutions and the Chinese yuan since some Russian banks withdrew from the SWIFT global financial-messaging system. Since Russia — a major energy exporter — has managed to keep its trade activity humming, its economy still appears resilient despite primary Western sanctions over the invasion of Ukraine. However, with the West ramping up sanctions against Russia, even Chinese firms are trying to stay out of trouble. Following the US' new restrictions in December, at least two state-owned Chinese banks ordered a review of their Russian businesses following the new restrictions, Bloomberg reported on January 16. It's not the first time China's banks have stepped up on Western sanctions compliance. In June, at least one major Chinese bank — Bank of China — started restricting transfers from Russia. Zhejiang Chouzhou Commercial Bank did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Business Insider. Read the original article on Business Insider