Energy Archives - RUSSIA'S PIVOT TO ASIA

Featured February 18, 2026

Russia Approves Intergovernmental Loans For Bangladesh Nuclear Power Plant

The Russian State Duma has ratified amendments to four Russian-Bangladesh intergovernmental loan agreements related to the construction of a nuclear power plant in Bangladesh. Russian Deputy Finance Minister Vladimir Kolychev stated that “The amendments were agreed and signed to overcome difficulties with settlements in unfriendly currencies for government loans previously provided to Bangladesh. The protocols […]

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Featured February 18, 2026

Iraq Approves Lukoil’s West Qurna 2 Oil Field Transfer To Basra Oil

Iraq’s cabinet has approved an “amicable settlement” with Russia’s Lukoil on transferring oil production operations at the huge West Qurna 2 field to the Basra Oil Company. The agreement concerns invoices and the employment of foreign personnel certified by an authoritative external auditor, the cabinet said in a statement. The transfer has occurred in line […]

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February 17, 2026

Russia-Afghanistan Trade Breakthrough As Dagestan & Kabul Sign Agreements: Analysis

The Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce and Investment (ACCI) has held meetings with a Russian trade delegation from Dagestan to discuss strengthening bilateral trade and economic cooperation. This follows reports from several media outlets that on February 14, the Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce and Industries (ACCI) announced the signing of five commercial agreements worth a total […]

February 14, 2026

Russia’s New Entrepreneurs—Expanding Into The Middle East

Part One of a Seven-Part Series in which we document the rise of the new outbound Russian entrepreneurial investor. The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region has emerged as one of the most strategically contested economic theaters of the 2020s. No longer defined solely by hydrocarbons, the Gulf today represents a global capital allocator, logistics nexus, […]

February 13, 2026

Africa’s Trade Growth Influence On Russia To Be Larger Than Europe’s As Diplomats Are Redeployed

Moscow is redeploying hundreds of diplomats from Europe to Africa to reopen about ten embassies, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov stated on Wednesday (February 11). Addressing the Russian State Duma, Lavrov said Moscow has cut its diplomatic presence in Europe by an estimated 120-150 staff and is relocating the employees to Africa. Lavrov said that […]

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February 13, 2026

Russia To Supply Cuba With Oil

Russia is preparing to send a shipment of oil and petroleum products to Cuba, Moscow’s embassy in Havana has announced. The island is facing its worst energy crisis in years after the US doubled down on its campaign to cut off its energy supplies. The fuel crisis intensified dramatically after US forces kidnapped Venezuelan President […]

February 11, 2026

Putin, Ramaphosa Discuss Russia-South Africa Trade & Investment

Russian President Vladimir Putin has held a phone call with his South African counterpart, Cyril Ramaphosa, the Kremlin press service has stated, saying that they “discussed issues related to the further development of mutually beneficial cooperation in the fields of trade, economy, and investment based on the Russian-South African comprehensive strategic partnership.” In addition, the […]

February 11, 2026

Russia, Ethiopia Bilateral Trade Tripled In 2025

Bilateral trade between Russia and Ethiopia saw significant growth during 2025, nearly tripling year-on-year to US$435 million, according to Evgeny Terekhin, the Russian Ambassador to Ethiopia. He added that coffee has also emerged as a standout product in bilateral trade. Ethiopian varieties, particularly from the Sidamo and Harar regions, are gaining popularity in Russia. Terekhin […]

February 11, 2026

Russia’s January 2026 Crude Oil Shipments To China Up 46% Year on Year

Russia’s seaborne crude shipments to China hit a record 1.86 million barrels per day (bpd) in January, up 46% year-on-year amid falling Indian imports and rising US pressure on New Delhi to curb Russian oil purchases. Aleksandr Daniltsev, Director of the Trade Policy Institute at the Moscow National Research University Higher School of Economics (HSE), […]

February 6, 2026

Russia’s Rosatom Begins Construction of Hungarian Paks II Nuclear Power Plant

A ceremony to pour the first concrete for the Paks II nuclear power plant in Hungary has taken place, according to Rosatom, the Russian state corporation carrying out the project. They stated that “The first concrete for the reactor building’s foundation marks the facility’s transition to the status of ‘nuclear power plant under construction’ according […]

February 5, 2026

Why The Xi-Putin Virtual Summit Marks A Strategic Turning Point for Eurasia

On February 4, 2026, Presidents Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping held a virtual meeting that, at first glance, appeared routine: another annual exchange ahead of the Chinese Lunar New Year, another reaffirmation of strategic partnership, and another set of familiar phrases about multipolarity and stability. Yet any reading that sees this meeting as routine underestimates […]