It has been another busy and varied week-interestingly, with non-energy news dominating. We feature important updates on Russia’s trade with the Global South, a deep dive into trade with Africa, growing interest in Hong Kong and China’s Greater Bay Area, an important bilateral meeting with Mongolia, a look at Russia’s international intentions as regards expanding its rail network, and an important report on Russia’s agricultural sector with two major events this past week in Moscow and St. Petersburg. Russia, of course, is one of the world’s top agricultural producers. We also cover an influential Russia-China SME forum that took place in Moscow. These companies are the lifeblood of the new synergies in bilateral development and vital for both economies. We explain why. We discuss Aeroflot’s huge purchase of 90 new passenger jet airliners, the significance of a new North China to the Russian Arctic economic route, and round up with plenty of agricultural developments involving China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, India, Iran, and Saudi Arabia. The Russian economy isn’t collapsing—it is diversifying. The energy sector contribution to the Russian economy in 2022 was 42%—in 2026 this has reduced to 23%. Most of this week’s headlines illustrate exactly where these changes are developing and non-energy growth patterns emerging.