Tag Archives: Russia

Reuters reports: Nestle, Philip Morris, and Imperial Brands joined the list of multinationals stepping back from Russia on Wednesday as pressure mounts from consumers in the West to take a stand against the invasion of Ukraine. The world’s biggest packaged food group fell into line with rivals Procter & Gamble and Unilever in halting investment in Russia, while cigarette maker …

The Associated Press reports: A Russian attack severely damaged a maternity hospital in the besieged port city of Mariupol, Ukraine said Wednesday, and citizens trying to escape shelling on the outskirts of Kyiv streamed toward the capital amid warnings from the West that Moscow’s invasion is about to take a more brutal and indiscriminate turn. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy wrote on …

The Hill reports: A major conservative group is urging Republican lawmakers to vote against a massive government spending bill, arguing it will increase spending on progressive priorities and railing against the limited time members will have had to read the legislation. Heritage Action, a conservative advocacy group and the sister organization of the Heritage Foundation, said it will use lawmakers’ …

The Daily Beast reports: Convicted Russian agent and Donald Trump enthusiast Maria Butina tried to convince BBC Radio host Nick Robinson that it was Ukraine’s own military raining bullets and mortars over the country, not Russian troops. When asked if the war was going to plan, she said, “Yes absolutely. I do trust my president as well as the majority …

The Associated Press reports: In an act of defiance on a Kyiv square where recent uprisings have scuppered Moscow’s ambitions in Ukraine, an orchestra assembled before a small crowd on Wednesday to play the national anthem as Russian forces advanced on the city. The Kyiv-Classic Symphony Orchestra also played an excerpt from Beethoven’s “Ode to Joy”, on which the European …

Reuters reports: The Kremlin accused the United States on Wednesday of declaring an economic war on Russia that was sowing mayhem through energy markets and put the United States on notice that it was thinking carefully how to respond to a ban on Russian oil and energy. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov cast the West’s sanctions as “hostile bacchanalia” which had …

The Guardian reports: After a number of major western brands, including McDonald’s, Starbucks, Coca-Cola and PepsiCo, bowed to public pressure and suspended operations in Russia, the Kentucky-based Yum! Brands followed suit. It said it was suspending 70 KFC company-owned restaurants in Russia and finalising an agreement to suspend all 50 Pizza Hut outlets in partnership with its master franchisee. Yum! …

Reuters reports: Radioactive substances could be released from Ukraine’s Chernobyl nuclear power plant because it cannot cool spent nuclear fuel after its power connection was severed, Ukraine’s state-run nuclear company Energoatom said on Wednesday. It said fighting made it impossible to immediately repair the high-voltage power line to the plant, which was captured by Russian forces after the Kremlin launched …

CNBC reports: PepsiCo and Coca-Cola said Tuesday they are suspending business in Russia after that country’s invasion of Ukraine, a symbolic step-back by iconic U.S. brands. “Our hearts are with the people who are enduring unconscionable effects from these tragic events in Ukraine,” Coke said in a brief statement Tuesday afternoon. “We will continue to monitor and assess the situation …

ABC News reports: Starbucks is suspending all business activity in Russia in response to Putin’s continued aggression in Ukraine, according to CEO Kevin Johnson. Starbucks joins the growing list of companies that are closing stores in Russia, including McDonald’s, who announced they were closing all 850 of their restaurants. Starbucks only has about 130 locations in Russia and Ukraine, according …

The New York Daily News reports: The Russian athlete who wore an inflammatory letter “Z” on his leotard while receiving a medal alongside an athlete from Ukraine — which is being invaded by Russian forces — said he’d do it again. Speaking to state sponsored Russian outlet RT in an interview out Tuesday, gymnast Ivan Kuliak, 20, painted himself as …

The Associated Press reports: McDonald’s said Tuesday it is temporarily closing all of its 850 restaurants in Russia in response to the country’s invasion of Ukraine. The burger giant said it will continue paying its 62,000 employees in Russia “who have poured their heart and soul into our McDonald’s brand.” But in an open letter to employees, McDonald’s President and …

The New York Times reports: President Biden is expected on Tuesday morning to ban the importation of Russian oil into the United States, a senior administration official said, making the move after pressure from lawmakers in both parties to punish Russia for its invasion of Ukraine. Mr. Biden is scheduled to make the announcement at 10:45 a.m. Tuesday from the …

The Associated Press reports: President Joe Biden has decided to ban Russian oil imports, toughening the toll on Russia’s economy in retaliation for its invasion of Ukraine, according to a person familiar with the matter. Biden was set to announce the move as soon as Tuesday, the person said, speaking on the condition of anonymity to discuss the matter before …

CNBC News reports: Oil major Shell on Tuesday apologized for a buying a heavily discounted consignment of Russian oil and announced it was withdrawing from its involvement in all Russian hydrocarbons. “As an immediate first step, the company will stop all spot purchases of Russian crude oil. It will also shut its service stations, aviation fuels and lubricants operations in …

The Moscow Times reports: The head of Russia’s Orthodox Church appeared to blame liberal Western values — drawing particular attention to gay pride parades — for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in his Sunday sermon. Kirill said the war is about “which side of God humanity will be on” in the divide between supporters of gay pride events — or the …

The Insider reports: A former campaign staffer for US Sen. Rand Paul has been charged with channeling money from Russia into the 2016 presidential election, the US Department of Justice said Monday. In an unsealed indictment, dated September 9, prosecutors allege Jesse Benton “conspired to illegally funnel thousands of dollars of foreign money from a Russian foreign national” into the …

The New York Times reports: Global stocks slid on Monday as attacks on Ukraine escalated and governments considered ever-stricter economic penalties on Russia, including cutting off imports of Russian oil. It was Wall Street’s worst day in nearly two years. The S&P 500 fell 3 percent, its sharpest daily decline since May 2020. The Nasdaq composite dropped 3.6 percent and …

Politico Europe reports: German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Monday pushed back hard against calls from the U.S. and Ukraine for a ban on imports of Russian gas and oil as part of international sanctions on Moscow. One of the darkest ironies of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s war in Ukraine is that Europe is helping fund the Kremlin’s war machine through …

From Quinnipiac Polling: At nearly the end of week two of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, as the U.S. and its allies consider ratcheting up sanctions against Russia, Americans say 71 – 22 percent that they would support a ban on Russian oil even if it meant higher gasoline prices in the United States. There is broad support (79 – 14 …