1 hour ago Ukraine war briefing: Fire sale of Lukoil assets before start of US sanctions on Russia

Foreign properties may be nationalised if Lukoil doesn’t sell, or the proceeds frozen if it does; Zelenskyy grapples with corruption scandal fallout. What we know on day 1,359The foreign oil refineries and other assets of Russian company Lukoil are attracting potential buyers as time runs out to strike cheap deals before US sanctions come into force on 21 November. The sanctions, put in place in response to Russia’s war on Ukraine, have already disrupted Lukoil’s operations in Iraq, at pump stations in Finland and a refinery in Bulgaria. Kazakhstan’s state firm KazMunayGas is studying a bid for Lukoil’s assets in the country, two sources familiar with the matter told Reuters. Shell is interested in Lukoil deepwater assets in Ghana and Nigeria, two other sources said. Shell declined to comment to Reuters.The government of Moldova has started talks to nationalise Lukoil’s infrastructure at Chisinau airport, said the airport’s director, Serdgiu Spoiala. Bulgaria is working towards seiz...

Events

7 h. ago Top Ukrainian ministers submit their resignations as the country is rocked by a corruption scandal

Ukraine’s justice and energy ministers submitted their resignations amid a major embezzlement and kickbacks scandal involving the state nuclear power company

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9 h. ago Zelenskyy fires ministers accused of involvement in bribery scheme as public outrage grows

Ukraine president also calls for sanctions against friend and former business partner, saying ‘there must be maximum integrity’Volodymyr Zelenskyy has moved to contain growing public outrage in Ukraine over a corruption scandal in the energy sector by firing two ministers who are accused of involvement in a large-scale bribery scheme.Ukraine’s president said the pair – justice minister Herman Halushchenko and energy minister Svitlana Grynchuk – could no longer remain in their jobs. He also called for personal sanctions against his friend and former business partner Timur Mindich, the scheme’s alleged organiser. Continue reading...

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12 h. ago Ukrainian energy minister Hrynchuk resigns as corruption probe fallout continues – live

Following Zelenskyy’s request Svitlana Hrynchuk has now also resigned from her post Angela Giuffrida in Rome and Kim Willsher in ParisProsecutors in Milan have opened an investigation into Italians who allegedly paid members of the Bosnian Serb army for trips to Sarajevo so that they could kill citizens during the four-year siege of the city in the 1990s. Continue reading...

Politics

13 h. ago Zelenskyy calls for Ukraine justice and energy ministers to be sacked amid alleged energy sector corruption scandal – live

Ukrainian president says ministers should not be in position of influence during investigationAngela Giuffrida in Rome and Kim Willsher in ParisProsecutors in Milan have opened an investigation into Italians who allegedly paid members of the Bosnian Serb army for trips to Sarajevo so that they could kill citizens during the four-year siege of the city in the 1990s. Continue reading...

Politics

16 h. ago Turkey confirms all 20 on board military cargo plane that crashed in Georgia killed – Europe live

The aircraft was en route from Azerbaijan to Turkey, the cause of the incident is still under investigationAll 20 personnel on board of a Turkish military cargo plane that crashed in Georgia on Tuesday were killed, Turkey’s defence minister said, AP reported.The confirmation came in Yaşar Güler’s post on X, which included photographs of the personnel who died in the accident. Continue reading...

Events

18 h. ago Ukraine suspends justice minister amid energy corruption scandal – Europe live

Prime minister Yulia Svyrydenko said that the decision to suspend German Galushchenko had been taken at an emergency government sessionUkrainian justice minister German Galushchenko has been suspended amid an alleged corruption scandal in the country’s energy sector, uncovered by the Specialised Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office, or SAPO.AFP reported that the authorities alleged that Galushchenko was involved in a $100m corruption scheme orchestrated by Timur Mindich, an ally of president Volodymyr Zelenskyy, and personally benefited from the plot. Continue reading...

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