Ukraine and the World – Against russia’s Aggression. Sanctions in Action

The government of Sweden has approved the allocation of 21st military aid package to Ukraine worth SEK 12.9 billion (EUR 1.2 billion). Approximately EUR 400 million will be allocated for the purchase and transfer of Tridon Mk 2 air defense systems, EUR 524 million will go to Ukrainian production of long-range missiles and drones, and the rest – over EUR 280 million – will be used to purchase artillery shells, grenade launchers, spare parts, and to train Ukrainian military personnel.

“We welcome the efforts of the United States to end the killings in Ukraine and russia’s aggressive war, as well as to achieve a just and lasting peace. International borders should not be changed by force,” said European Commission’s Spokesperson Anouar El Anouni. At this, he pointed out that systematic attacks on Ukraine indicate that russia is not ready for peace.

“The Seimas supports the effective long-term strategy of the European Union and NATO aimed at ending russia’s aggression and achieving peace in such a way as to ensure russia’s strategic defeat and prevent it from rebuilding its military potential,” states the Latvian Seimas’ resolution on the fourth anniversary of russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

During four years of full-scale russian war, Czechs have collected nearly $350 million in humanitarian aid for Ukrainians.

Chancellor of the FRG Friedrich Merz has said that russia is mired in “the deepest barbarism”,  that the country’s government cannot exist without war, and that any peace talks with putin will reach a dead end. “We must stop harbouring illusions: the russian government cannot exist without war today. It needs to maintain its military machine because it has no plan for what to do with the hundreds of thousands of soldiers returning from the front”,  Merz emphasized.

Director General of the international non-governmental organization Reporters Without Borders (RSF) Thibaut Bruttin, has called for the exposure and prosecution of russian propaganda accomplices. “And I hope that one day we will bring them to justice. But the leaders of propaganda – solovyov, simonyan, and other intermediaries – must also be held accountable,” Bruttin stressed.

The share of russian oil in India’s total imports in January this year fell to its lowest since the end of 2022, while supplies from the Middle East rose to their highest for the same period. India imported about 1.1 million barrels of russian oil per day in January, the lowest since November 2022, while russia’s share of total oil imports fell to 21.2% – the lowest since October 2020. January imports of russian oil fell by 23.5% compared to December and by about a third compared to the same period a year earlier.

The rf’s federal budget’s revenues from oil and gas, which account for one-fifth of the state treasury’s revenues, will fall by 0.37 trillion rubles (-47%) in February 2026 compared to February 2025.

The collapse in russian oil prices is undermining the profitability of companies, forcing them to drill and produce less. Drilling activity fell by 16% in December 2025 compared to December 2024.

The discount on russian Urals oil in Baltic ports rose to $28 per barrel (primorsk/ust-luga) in the week of February 9-13. This is the highest figure since April 2023.

The government of the rf is abandoning plans to reduce pollutant emissions from thermal power plants as part of the federal “Clean Air” project. The reason is the economic burden on energy companies from complying with environmental requirements, which amounts to 280 billion rubles per year.

The largest redistribution of property in russia since the 1990s has affected dozens of billionaires from the Forbes list and nearly 20 of the largest companies in terms of revenue. In 2022–2024, the value of seized assets amounted to about 5 trillion rubles. The main beneficiaries of the process were state-owned corporations and putin’s inner circle. Between 2014 and 2025, 30 of the 311 participants on the Forbes list, or about 9%, faced nationalization or forced sale of assets on non-market terms. At this, 17 of them are among the top 100 richest businessmen of the last decade.

A wave of “layoffs without hysterics” has begun in russia: one in four companies is cutting staff, with the proportion of employers who do not pay compensation rising from 10% in 2023 to 25% in 2025. The main reason for the current wave of layoffs is the deterioration of the economic situation and a decline in business activity. At this, in industry and manufacturing, on the contrary, there is a shortage of workers.

The struggle against import laundering in order to fill the budget has hit the supply of goods to russia. Importers report problems with the import of clothing, footwear, and gadgets from well-known brands. russian regulators are massively revoking certificates and declarations of conformity for products imported through parallel import, i.e., without the consent of the copyright holder. These documents are required for the sale of many goods, from children’s toys and clothing to computers, auto parts, and industrial equipment. Parallel imports in the first 11 months of 2025 amounted to $20.9 billion.

During the week of February 10-16, chicken eggs rose in price by 3.4% in russia, and lamb – by almost 3%. Carrots rose in price by 2.4%, potatoes – by 1.1%, and cucumbers – by 0.5%. Vegetables in general rose in price by 0.7%. Among non-food products, activated charcoal rose in price by 0.8% and Levomekol – by 0.6%. Prices for toothbrushes and matches rose by 0.4% and for shampoo – by 0.5%. The cost of a vacation trip to the UAE increased by 8.6%. Accommodation in three-star hotels rose by 0.9%, and in two-star hotels – by 0.4%. Prices for vouchers to resorts and holiday homes increased by 0.9%, and to sanatoria – by 0.4%.

russians are increasingly saving on food. 78% of russian residents surveyed began to compare prices more often before making a purchase. They also began to choose promotional items more often (64% of respondents) and cook more at home (59%). When choosing goods, they pay attention first of all to price (41%), promotions and discounts (24%), and expiration dates (14%).

About 25% of microfinance organizations (MFOs) that issue payday loans to russians may cease operations due to the introduction of mandatory biometric identification of customers. Due to the expected changes, some MFO customers may start turning to illegal lenders who do not require identification. Up to 2 million customers may move into the gray zone.

From October to December 2025, russian banks restructured loans to small and medium-sized businesses in the amount of 446 billion rubles.

Commissions charged by the largest russian marketplaces to sellers over three years (2023–2025) increased by 58–63%, while the cost of their logistics services increased by 33–89%.

The weighted average price of a new passenger car in russia during four years of full-scale war against Ukraine has increased by 46% from 2.4 million to 3.5 million rubles, having exceeded  $45,000. This ranks fifth among the largest car markets, after Canada ($62,000), the United Kingdom ($61,000), and the United States ($52,000). Cars in russia are becoming some of the most expensive in the world.

“russian railways” plans to put up for auction three properties in moscow and one each in krasnodar and krasnoyarsk. The moscow towers office in “moscow city” and the Riga railway station will also be put up for auction. The reason is the extremely difficult financial situation of the state monopoly.

 “rdp enterprise” – the  operator of the “sovereign runet” – has decided to give up russian software and switch to Microsoft. The decision was made for economic reasons.

According to the company’s forecast, the cost of servers from russian manufacturer Kraftway will increase by an average of 170% in 2026 compared to 2025. Thus, the cost of servers in February 2026 will increase by an average of 93%, and by April – by 135%. The cost of personal computers in February will increase by 60%, and by April – by 88%.

The ministry of finance has prepared a package of draft laws that tighten the conditions for foreigners who have come to work in russia from visa-free countries. It is expected that migrant workers will pay for a patent that gives them the right to work in russia not only for themselves but also for minor family members and dependents. For each of them, they will have to pay 50% of the cost of the patent.

Since 2022, 861 rural schools have been closed in russia’s regions due to lack of funds. Most schools were closed in saratov region. In September 2022, there were 421 schools operating there, and in September 2024, only 245 remained. In moscow region, 72 schools were closed, in kursk region – 62, and another 53 in voronezh region.

School teachers in russia’s regions have begun to have part of their salaries withheld. Teachers in at least 10 regions did not receive their payments for class supervision in January. These regions include chelyabinsk, irkutsk, rostov, arkhangelsk, tambov, and ryazan regions, transbaikal and khabarovsk territories, as well as karelia and udmurtia. These are federal allowances amounting to 5,000 rubles for teachers in cities with a population of over 100,000 and 10,000 rubles for settlements with a population of less than 100,000. At this, schools where teachers did not receive payments were instructed to conduct “explanatory work” with their employees.

Articles by “scientists – foreign agents” have been removed from the russian scientometric database.

In 2025, the number of people who resigned from the rf’s ministry of internal affairs increased by 7% to 80,000. This is by 40% more than the number of those who joined the service. The shortage of personnel in the police force is estimated at 40%, in criminal investigation – at 30%, in investigation – at 27%, and among district police officers – at over a quarter. In 41 regions, the shortage exceeds 25% of personnel. 19 district-level units are short of  more than half of the employees.

In the city of bodaybo in irkutsk region, where most residents have been living without heat and water supply for almost three weeks in 40-degree frost, the emergency zone has been expanded. Mayor  of bodaybo yevgeny yumashev asked the media not to cover the accident and its consequences. At the same time, he publicly expressed his “surprise at the increased media attention to an ordinary heat leak”.  Meanwhile, the city administration reported on a campaign to collect aid for the military servicemen  participating in the invasion of Ukraine, calling the post about it “With warmth from home”.

The government of Italy has opposed the admission of russian and belarusian athletes to participate in the Paralympic Games in Milan-Cortina.

Prime Minister of Lithuania Inga Ruginenė has said she would boycott the upcoming Paralympic Games in protest against the decision to allow russian and belarusian athletes to compete under their national flags.

Minister of Foreign Affairs of Estonia Margus Tsahkna has called the admission of russians and belarusians to the Paralympics a “disgrace”.

Representatives of the Ministry of Sport and Tourism of  Poland will not participate in the opening ceremony of the games.

Estonian public broadcaster ERR will not broadcast events at the Paralympics in which athletes from the rf  and the rb  are participating.

Unlike other athletes, Samsung, the sponsor of the Olympics, did not present smartphones to belarusians and russians, as they are competing in the 2026 Games under a “neutral” status and do not have the necessary accreditation. The same situation with the  phones from the sponsor for “neutral” athletes was at the Summer Olympics and Paralympics in Paris.

Poland will extend the buffer zone on the border with belarus for three months.

Investments in fixed capital in January fell by 12% in belarus.

In January, by 37.5% fewer apartments were built in belarus than a year earlier.

Demographic pitfall. Of the more than 130 properties offered to investors in vtebsk region for free, almost half are rural schools and kindergartens. A significant portion of the buildings are also rural clubs, libraries, and bathhouses.

A new type of repression has been recorded in belarus: the dismissal of employees whose close relatives live in “unfriendly” countries. This problem is most acute in the military-industrial complex. This practice is spreading to civilian enterprises, but so far it is selective: not all employees are affected, but mainly those in responsible and managerial positions.