Ukraine fears further attacks February 23, 2015 UKRAINE said yesterday it feared unrest could spread beyond territory held by pro-Russian separatists, after an explosion killed two people at a memorial rally in an eastern city far from the front line. Kiev said it arrested four people who had been armed and trained in Russia after the blast, which killed a policeman and [...]
One chart summing up Britain and Russia’s military spending February 22, 2015 The amount Britain spends of defence has been called into question, after RAF fighter jets were scrambled this earlier week when two Russian bear bomber aircrafts were spotted flying "close to UK airspace." It prompted Lord Stirrup, who headed the armed forces at the time of the 2010 strategic defence and security review to call for the reversal [...]
Ukraine crisis: US mulls more sanctions for Russia February 22, 2015 The United States has said it's in talks with Europe over levying more sanctions against Moscow, due to its "brazen" violations of a recent ceasefire agreement between pro-Russian separatists and Ukrainian forces. U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, speaking after meetings with his British counterpart Philip Hammond in London, said President Obama was weighing whether [...]
Chief lender backs Sapinda in gold miner’s refinancing battle February 19, 2015 RUSSIAN financial services giant VTB has reportedly come out in support of Sapinda’s bid to persuade Russia-focused gold miner Petropavlovsk to renegotiate its mooted refinancing plan. In the latest twist in this enduring tug of war between Sapinda and the gold miner’s board. VTB – one of Petropavlovsk’s senior lenders – yesterday privately backed Sapinda’s [...]
Is the UK defence secretary right that Russia is a danger to the stability of the Baltic States? February 19, 2015 Andrew Foxall is director of the Russia Studies Centre at The Henry Jackson Society, says Yes This is nothing new – and has little directly to do with events in Ukraine. Russia has been destabilising the Baltic States for much of the last decade. In 2007, it was behind a series of cyber attacks on [...]
Sapinda calls on Petropavlovsk to postpone GM February 18, 2015 Sapinda, a key shareholder in Petropavlovsk, yesterday elaborated on its mooted alternative refinancing plan for the Russia-focused gold miner and implored its board to delay the imminent general meeting, in the latest skirmish for the London-listed miner’s future. Petropavlovsk responded immediately, describing the Amsterdam-based investment fund’s proposal as “absurd and unworkable”. In an open [...]
New Carlsberg CEO seeks cure for hangover February 18, 2015 DANISH brewing giant Carlsberg yesterday appointed a new chief executive, but warned that ongoing geopolitical problems in Russia and Ukraine would hit revenues again this year. Cees ‘t Hart, the Dutch CEO of dairy firm FrieslandCampina, will take the reins at Carlsberg in June. He will replace incumbent Jorgen Buhl Rasmussen, who turns 60 this [...]
Coke bottler hit by exposures in foreign markets February 18, 2015 BEVERAGE bottler Coca-Cola HBC faces tough challenges in 2015, analysts have warned, after the firm reported a 5.3 per cent drop in sales revenue for 2014, from €1.57bn (£1.16bn) to €1.51bn. Volumes of unit cases sold also fell, by 2.8 per cent from 2.06bn in 2013 to 2bn, while net profit plunged by 11.4 per cent, [...]
Troubled gold miner Petropavlovsk rocked by debt plan rebel Sapinda February 17, 2015 Russia-focused gold miner Petropavlovsk last night saw its proposed debt restructuring come under fire after one of its major stakeholders blasted the plan for allegedly favouring bondholders over shareholders. The proposed plan is due to be voted on this month but requires the approval of both bondholders and 75 per cent of shareholders to go [...]
BP’s four key predictions for how the world’s energy sector will change over the next 20 years February 17, 2015 While the falling price of oil continues to cause problems for the world's energy companies, worldwide energy demand will have picked up by 2035. Energy consumption is expected to rise by 37 per cent between 2013 and 2035, with an average annual increase of 1.4 per cent. This is one of the predictions [...]