Author’s articles
The Russian Central Bank’s gold reserves fell for the fourth consecutive month in April 2026. Over the first four months of the year, the regulator reduced its reserves by almost 28 tonnes of gold.
Over the past 24 hours, the Russian army has lost a further 910 troops in the war against Ukraine. Total Russian personnel losses since the start of the full-scale invasion have exceeded 1.35 million.
Danylo Getmantsev, Chair of the Verkhovna Rada’s Finance Committee, has announced that an open committee meeting will be held on 25 May, at which the committee plans to hear a report from the Economic Security Bureau. The meeting will be streamed online.
Following the large-scale attacks by Ukrainian drones on Moscow and Russian infrastructure, discussions in Russia about the future of the war have intensified. At the same time, although officials are drawing up plans for the post-war period, Vladimir Putin has not publicly indicated any readiness to bring the hostilities to an end.
The Security Service of Ukraine (SSU) and the Office of the Prosecutor General have announced the exposure of a corruption scheme involving National Police officers in three regions. According to the investigation, law enforcement officers may have received illicit benefits in exchange for turning a blind eye to the activities of so-called ‘porn offices’.
The Ryazan oil refinery in Russia suspended oil processing following a drone attack on 15 May.
The Donald Trump administration has extended the sanctions exemption allowing the sale of Russian oil already loaded onto tankers for a further month. Officials in Washington have explained the decision as being necessary to stabilise the global oil market against the backdrop of the war with Iran and shipping problems in the Strait of Hormuz.
Over the past 24 hours, the Russian army has lost a further 1,140 troops in the war against Ukraine. Ukrainian forces have also destroyed dozens of pieces of military equipment and over 2,000 tactical-level drones.
The Donald Trump administration has stepped up pressure on Cuba amid the possibility of charges being brought against the country’s former president, Raúl Castro. In Washington, officials are also discussing scenarios that were previously applied to Venezuela.
In the town of Irpin in the Kyiv region, firefighters extinguished a fire on the premises of an industrial plant. The fire engulfed a furniture manufacturing workshop.
The Ukrainian military reports a shift in the situation on the front line following months of Russian advances. They cite the widespread use of drones and new combat tactics as one of the key reasons for this.
The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has changed its approach to providing cash assistance in Ukraine. Support is now being directed towards evacuees, those affected by shelling, vulnerable internally displaced persons (IDPs) and people who have returned to their places of permanent residence.
