Latest updates, insights, and analysis.
Russia’s Vladivostok is discussing direct flights with China’s Yinchang. The latter is famous for the Three Gorges, Dams and River Cruises and has a population of over 4 million, all of whom live inland and would also want to experience Vladivostok’s Pacific coastal charms.
Western media has missed an important legal and precedence issue concerning the Strait of Hormuz, which is seeing international maritime law being replaced with force. The implications of this break down could affect all global shipping, including around the Horn of Africa, Red Sea, Baltic Sea and English Channel. We look at the extremely serious implications of what is happening, including maritime legal expertise.
The Russian and Uzbek Prime Ministers are to meet in Moscow on Monday to discuss developing trade and investment. About 3,000 Russian companies have invested in Uzbekistan and about 700 Uzbeki companies into Russia. Bilateral trade grew by 6.4% in 2025.
Thai investors have been acquired several pig farming assets in Russia’s Novogorod region. Pork consumption in both Russia and Asia is increasing, making this an apparent win-win situation for investors.
The Russian State Duma has approved two bills relating to the UAE-Eurasian Economic Union Free Trade Agreement, which will reduce or eliminate duties on about 85% of the product range of mutual trade between the EAEU and the UAE, and setting the stage for its entering into force later this year.
Russia’s FESCO shipping has added another route to its Turkish operations, introducing intermodal container shipments between Ankara and Novorossiysk via the port of Gebze as part of expanding its geographic presence to help boost bilateral trade.
Rosatom, currently developing Turkiye’s Akkuyu NPP, has stated that they expect dividends from electricity generation by the plant to commence from 2035 and for the project development costs to have been fully recovered by 2039. Rosatom is the 100% owner of the NPP, which is Turkiye’s first, generating about 10% of the countries electricity needs.
Tajikistan is considering the purchase of Russian-built railway equipment, including freight, passenger and maintenance equipment. Direct Dushanbe-Moscow rail is being planned as are bus services. Bilateral trade between the two countries is expected to growth 2.5 times between now and 2030.
Russia is poised to have diplomatic representation in 49 of the African continents 54 countries, with another four Embassies to open this year. Russia-Africa relations are growing rapidly with Russia now trading more with Africa than the European Union.
Middle East uncertainties continue to reorganise supply chains throughout Eurasia. This is leading to a resumption of plans to recommence work on a second planned Russian gas pipeline transiting Kazakhstan to feed consumer markets in China. The plans would also help energise Kazakhstan’s northern regions.
Russia’s TVEL, a subsidiary of Rosatom, has begun delivering nuclear fuel to China’s Xudabao Nuclear Power Plant in Liaoning Province, while also starting work at China’s Tianwan Nuclear Power Plant in China’s Jiangsu Province. Similar operations are expected to take place this year in Bangladesh and Turkiye.
Russia’s Wildberries has just begun promoting Ethiopian products for sale on its Russian market platforms. Products such as coffee, tea and flowers are beginning to become popular with Russian consumers. Russian products will be available on Ethiopian online markets later in the year.
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