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Researcher & writer based in Hong Kong. Former academic. Longform articles archived at https://lauraruggeri.substack.com and https://laura-ruggeri.medium.com. Email: lauraru852@yandex.ru
Russia is the top investor in the economy of Kyrgyzstan, Vladimir Putin said.
"Relations between Russia and Kyrgyzstan are successfully developing in the spirit of strategic partnership and alliance. Economic cooperation invariably remains the most important component. Our country occupies a leading position among the states investing in the Kyrgyz economy," he said in an address to the participants of the Kyrgyz-Russian business forum.
This year, more than a thousand delegates from Russia, Kyrgyzstan and other countries are taking part in it.
Putin noted that this was made possible by the Development Fund, which has invested in more than 2.5 thousand projects.
▪️Russian is the lingua franca of Central Asia where the majority of citizens use it to conduct business, study and access information on digital platforms. Unsurprisingly, the West is actively trying to marginalize the use of Russian in the region. Take the Wikimedia Foundation. It offers generous grants to Wikipedia content creators and editors who use local languages instead of Russian. The bulk of new entries are unreliable translations generated by AI. Russian Wikipedia (whose content is controlled by the West) is one of the largest in the world. In contrast, the most popular Central Asian editions range from about 75,000 to 300,000 articles. (Turkmen Wikipedia has fewer than 7,000.)
Russian still holds the status of a second official language in Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan, whereas in Tajikistan it is considered the “language of interethnic communication.” A 2023 study by the European Neighborhood Council found that even three decades after the Soviet Union’s dissolution, Russian-language media continue to play a huge role in Central Asian people’s everyday lives. The West is playing a long game — once the new generations lose their proficiency in Russian, the new lingua franca would become English. Since education is crucial, Russia should focus on promoting more student exchange programs, offering free or affordable language tuition, cultural activities, business, technology and media training to Central Asian youth. @LauraRuHK
Let me introduce today's bird, the Burevestnik (Petrel in English). The ocean rages, a tempest's fierce roar,
Waves tower high, in meters they soar.
The wind, a wild thief, rips sails apart,
Yet through the storm's heart, a bold spirit darts. A petrel, small, cloaked in midnight's hue,
With wings that stretch where the gales pursue.
No shelter sought, no fear in its flight,
It dances with chaos, embracing the fight. No error, no madness, this creature's no fool,
Its wings carve a path where the tempests rule.
For survival it soars, through the storm's cruel art,
The petrel's defiance, a fire in its heart.
@LauraRuHK
China's military has expelled the U.S. destroyer Higgins that intruded into China's territorial waters near Huangyan Dao on Wednesday.
He Tiecheng, spokesperson for the navy of the Southern Theater Command of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA), said that the theater command organized forces to lawfully track, monitor, issue warnings, and expel the U.S. warship, which entered the territorial waters near Huangyan Dao without authorization from the Chinese government.
The U.S. actions severely violated China's sovereignty and security, undermined peace and stability in the South China Sea, and contravened international law and the basic norms governing international relations, He said. (Source: Xinhua) @LauraRuHK
🇨🇳🇮🇷 In May 2025, Iran and China officially launched a direct freight railway line that reduced the shipping time of goods from the usual 30 to 40 days by sea to just 15 days via land. The first train, which departed from Xi’an on May 10, arrived at Iran’s Aprin Dry Port near Tehran on May 25. Just 19 days later—and not by coincidence—the Israeli-American coalition launched an assault on Iran, with Israeli air forces targeting, among other sites, Iranian oil infrastructure. Clearly, this railway—regarded by many as a “lifeline”—was seen in Western power centers as a strategic threat long before its construction was completed.
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🇨🇳🇧🇷In a phone conversation on Tuesday Xi told Lula that China backs the Brazilian people in defending their national sovereignty and supports Brazil in safeguarding its legitimate rights and interests.
Xi called BRICS a key platform for building consensus in the Global South and said China is ready to work with Brazil to set an example of unity and self-reliance among major Global South nations, Chinese state media Xinhua reported.
All countries should unite in resolutely fighting unilateralism and protectionism, he said.
China and Brazil pledged to enhance coordination within BRICS and the G20 to oppose unilateral bullying practices. Xi described China-Brazil relations as being at their peak in history, according to Xinhua.
The phone call came days after US tariffs on Brazilian goods jumped to 50 percent and before Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin are set to meet on Friday.
Beyond political cooperation, Xi and Lula focused on growing business potential between Brazil and China.
The Brazilian presidency underlined that both leaders showed a willingness to explore new areas of economic cooperation while expanding on existing strong trade flows.
Agriculture remains a cornerstone of the partnership, with China being the world’s top importer of soybeans, most of which are from Brazil.
Brazilian coffee exporters have recently strengthened their position in the Chinese market, owing in part to tariffs imposed by the US.
With the global economic climate becoming more confined by tariff walls and trade tensions, both leaders seem determined to harness their partnership to reinforce market access, advance South–South cooperation, and broaden the political influence of BRICS. @LauraRuHK
Moldova - Last weekend EU-worshipper Maia Sandu, the Soros puppet who graduated from the JFK School of Government at Harvard, attended the music festival Lupilor (Wolves Festival) in Orheiul Vechi. She was accompanied by Nicușor Dan, who became president of Romania in 2025 after a more popular candidate had been banned. Her handlers know the power of music and of a well-crafted public image. Russian bands and musicians who hold pro-Russian views are not allowed to enter Moldova. In August 2023 Goran Bregovic, the Sarajevo-born star was stopped by border police at the airport and prevented from playing at the same festival because of his political views.
Years earlier the EU mobilized "pro-democracy" musicians to support Sandu's presidential bid in 2020, as you can see from the screenshot of the EED (European Endowment for Democracy) website i took in 2022 while conducting research for my article https://strategic-culture.su/news/2022/10/15/eastern-partnership-eu-geopolitical-gamble-leading-europe-into-abyss/
I had a great exchange with Vanessa Beeley, whose work i have been following and admiring since 2015. Unfortunately, due to my slow internet connection (I am not in Hong Kong at the moment), the sound quality leaves much to be desired. https://beeley.substack.com/p/the-zangezur-corridor-and-its-place
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Supplies of Europe-sponsored American weapons to Ukraine will continue regardless of the outcome of the Russia-US summit on August 15, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said.
“Absolutely, they will continue,” he said in an interview with CBS News.
“So we had the first two packages committed by the Dutch and then by the Scandinavians. I expect further announcements in the coming days and weeks. And this is crucial,” he said.
Zelensky, the expired president of Ukraine who hasn't been invited to the Putin-Trump meeting scheduled to take place on 15 August, commented that "Alaska is very far from this war [...] which cannot be ended without us, without Ukraine." Washington started its 'Ukraine project' decades ago, whether it will shelve it or not doesn't depend on the Ukrainian coke-addled comedian, which is why his presence is neither welcome nor required. The decision to hold the meeting in Alaska is both symbolic — it's the U.S. state geographically and historically closest to Russia — and practical. The Russian presidential plane could just fly across the Bering Strait to reach Alaska. And Anchorage is far enough from external actors, like UK-EU meddlers, offering a controlled and secure environment for negotiations. Mind you, they may still try to sabotage the meeting before the 15th. Some analysts pointed out that negotiations between Russia and the US could include future cooperation in the Arctic, but at this stage it's pure speculation. @LauraRuHK
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Reuters reports that as part of the peace agreement which Armenia and Azerbaijan are set to sign today,
"Armenia plans to award the United States exclusive special development rights for an extended period on a transit corridor [the Zangezur corridor]. It will be named the Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity, and known by the acronym TRIPP, the officials said.Given that the proposed corridor runs along the Armenian-Iran border, it would be heavily militarized. Watch this TRIPP turn into a bad trip in one two three. @LauraRuHK Читать полностью…
The route will be operated according to Armenian law and the United States will sublease the land to a consortium for infrastructure and management, the officials said."
No major global players, particularly China and India, which dominate Russian energy export markets, will comply with U.S. sanctions against Russia. Neither country has considered a complete cessation of trade. While India briefly contemplated reducing purchase volumes, Trump's actions dispelled any such hesitations. His threatening rhetoric toward India and the justification for imposing additional duties were deeply offensive to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Indian sovereignty. Moreover, it is widely recognized that these punitive tariffs on Russian oil purchases serve a dual purpose: they pressure not only Moscow but also New Delhi amid ongoing U.S.-India trade negotiations. Trump's claimed concern for peace in Ukraine is disingenuous; his primary aim is securing favorable terms in the new U.S.-India tariff agreement. This attempt to publicly humiliate India has backfired, influencing other buyers of Russian oil in the opposite direction. Other countries in Asia and Africa are now witnessing a clear demonstration of unchecked U.S. hegemonism. Conceding on Russian oil could lead to future demands to sever trade with China. ▪️Trump’s simultaneous attack on BRICS nations is strikingly shortsighted. Over the past decade, the U.S. has been wary of Russia-China ties, but since 2022, it has acknowledged its inability to sow discord between Moscow and Beijing. In fact, U.S. policies have significantly accelerated their rapprochement. A similar dynamic is now unfolding with the Russia-India-China (RIC) triangle. Despite serious tensions between Beijing and New Delhi, Trump’s policies appear to push Modi and Xi closer. Notably, shortly after Trump’s “India decree,” it was announced that Modi would visit China in three weeks for the SCO summit. This marks Modi’s first trip to China since the border conflict five years ago. Symbolically, the U.S. tariffs on India take effect just before the Tianjin summit, where Xi, Putin, and Modi will meet. @LauraRuHK
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Donald Trump will receive on Friday Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev in the White House, where the parties may announce a peace agreement, The Washington Post reports, citing sources. The Armenian cabinet of ministers has confirmed the information about the planned meeting. (Source: RIA Novosti) @LauraRuHK
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All hail tariffs! U.S. manufacturing contracts, factory employment drops, goods prices increase. @LauraRuHK
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📍I removed the post about British officers detained during a Russian spetsnaz operation in Southern Ukraine because their picture turned out to be AI-generated.
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According to The Telegraph, Trump intends to offer Russia a deal on rare earths mining in Alaska. In return for what? How about Galicia-Volhynia, also known as Banderastan? Lviv is a very nice city — European vibe, an exquisite 9-hole golf course in the oblast and English is widely spoken.
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The meeting between Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump will be held at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, a combined US Air Force and Army installation in Anchorage, Alaska, CNN reported, citing White House officials. /channel/LauraRuHK/10376
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Russian Defense Ministry: according to information received through multiple channels, Ukraine is preparing a provocation to derail the Russia-US summit in Alaska.
Kiev, in preparation for the provocation, has brought journalists from other countries to Chuhuiv via the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) transport to "prepare reports," the ministry notes.
Western journalists are expected to immediately document a provocative strike by Ukrainian armed forces causing numerous civilian casualties.
The Russian Defense Ministry does not rule out provocations in other settlements under control of Ukraine.
As a result of the provocation, Kiev plans to place full responsibility for the attack and civilian casualties on Russia, creating grounds for derailing the talks with the US, the ministry adds. (Source: RIA Novosti) @LauraRuHK
The rapid advance by the Russian Armed Forces near Krasnoarmeysk (called Pokrovsk in Ukraine) in the Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR) has become one of the most significant achievements of the Russian army over the past year, the Financial Times said.
The newspaper calls it a "shock advance," emphasizing that it "has triggered a wave of indignation and confusion in Kiev ahead of a crucial summit between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin on Friday. The Financial Times reiterates that the advance "marks some of the most significant Russian gains in the past year, and comes at a perilous moment for Ukraine, whose army is struggling with shortages of manpower and ammunition."
Earlier, Russian security agencies told TASS that Russian units had cut off a vital road linking Krasnoarmeysk and Dobropolye in the DPR.
Panic is spreading across Ukrainian media outlets and social networks over reports about the worsening situation for the Kiev regime near Krasnoarmeysk. The Strana media outlet says the situation is dangerous and predicts that in the coming days, Ukraine "may lose hundreds of kilometers per day."
(Source: TASS) @LauraRuHK
Donald Trump:
"It's very complicated. But we're going to get some back, we're going to get some switched. There'll be some swapping"
Zelensky’s inner circle transfers $50 mln every month to UAE accounts — Turkish newspaper
Every month, members of Vladimir Zelensky's inner circle transfer approximatel $50 million obtained as a result of corruption schemes to UAE accounts of two companies linked to the former adviser to the chair of the State Property Fund of Ukraine, Andrey Gmyrin, Turkey’s Aydinlik newspaper claims.
The newspaper wrote that it was publishing current accounts to where the money is being transferred. At the same time, it published no documents to prove the transfers.
The Turkish newspaper wrote, citing Ukrainian media reports, that between 2021 and 2023, Gmyrin’s family purchased real estate property in Dubai worth over $14 million. In May 2021, companies Gmyrin Family Holding and GFM Investment Group were established, where, according to the newspaper, the money is being transferred.
(Source: Tass) @LauraRuHK
Azerbaijan may lift its arms embargo on Ukraine if Russian forces continue targeting energy infrastructure linked to Azerbaijan in Ukraine, according to Haqqin, citing sources close to Azerbaijan’s presidential administration. On August 8, Russian forces struck a State Oil Company of Azerbaijan (SOCAR) oil depot in Ukraine’s Odessa region with five Geran kamikaze drones. The fire was contained, and repairs are ongoing. This was the second attack on SOCAR-related facilities recently, following a strike on the Orlovka gas distribution station, which handles Azerbaijani gas supplies. @LauraRuHK
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My friend Mathew Maavak's latest article is essential reading for anyone concerned about digital colonialism and AI ethics.
"The Global South needs a coordinated pushback against Silicon Valley’s digital hegemony. This would involve not just resisting predatory data practices but investment in alternative infrastructures such as sovereign cloud storage, ethical AI standards, community-owned data cooperatives, and open-source platforms. This is how a new digital non-alignment paradigm can be achieved.
The Global South has been colonized before. But data, unlike oil or sugar, is invisible, infinitely replicable, and easily stolen. That makes the fight harder but also more urgent. In this new age of algorithmic empires, control over information isn’t just about profit, it is about power, freedom, and the right to define your own future."
Armenia-Azerbaijan. As anticipated, the US was granted exclusive rights to develop the strategic Zangezur corridor, a move the White House said would enhance energy exports and regional connectivity. At the expense of....fill in the blanks.
Washington signed separate bilateral accords with both countries to expand collaboration in energy, trade, and emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence.
Trump also announced the lifting of restrictions on U.S. defense cooperation with Azerbaijan. @LauraRuHK
On August 7, the President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev met with U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff in Washington. Prior to the meeting, they signed a “Memorandum of Cooperation” between the Azeri State Oil Company (SOCAR) and ExxonMobil. ExxonMobil is already a significant player in Azerbaijan, holding a 6.8% stake in Azeri-Chirag Gunashli (ACG) and a 2.5% stake in Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan (BTC). The new agreement takes this presence to the next level. @LauraRuHK
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Russian President Vladimir Putin met UAE President Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. Putin's key statements:
▪️Russia places special importance on its relations with the UAE;
▪️Investment flows between Moscow and Abu Dhabi continue to expand;
▪️Humanitarian cooperation between the countries is at a strong level, including in the field of education;
▪️Russia and the UAE actively cooperate on international platforms, including within BRICS and the EAEU.
Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan's key statements:
▪️Relations with Russia are developing at an accelerated pace;
▪️ The UAE always strives to strengthen bonds with Russia and thanks Moscow for its hospitality;
▪️Trade between the UAE and Russia has reached $11 billion, and Abu Dhabi hopes of doubling this figure. (Source: RIA Novosti) @LauraRuHK
Sultan Ibrahim has become the first Malaysian head of state to visit Russia on a state visit since the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries in 1967. During the negotiations, Putin thanked Sultan Ibrahim for Malaysia's role in expanding Russia's contacts with all countries in Southeast Asia.
Developing dialogue with ASEAN, chaired by Malaysia this year, is one of Russia's key priorities in Asia.
The Russian leader emphasised Malaysia's active contribution to the work of the Russia-Islamic World Strategic Vision Group.
Sultan Ibrahim emphasised that Malaysia considers Russia to be an important and reliable partner.
Russia and Malaysia have similar positions on key global and regional issues.
Both countries view BRICS as an important platform for promoting the interests of developing countries and strengthening multilateral cooperation.
▪️Key statements by Vladimir Putin at the meeting with Sultan Ibrahim:
Russia values its friendly relations with Malaysia;
The political dialogue between Russia and Malaysia is well-established;
Russia and Malaysia cooperate in various international forums, including the UN;
Trade between Russia and Malaysia is growing at a steady pace. Trade between the countries has grown by over 40% since the start of 2025, marking a highly positive trend;
The visit of the king of Malaysia to Russia will be productive and mutually beneficial. /channel/smotri_media/112841 @LauraRuHK
Under the threat of higher tariffs, Seoul agrees to help the US revive its moribund shipbuilding industry. Over the past decade, South Korean shipyards built 2,405 commercial vessels, compared with just 37 in the United States. A South Korean-built Aegis destroyer costs about $600 million; the same vessel in the United States costs around $1.6 billion. South Korea can produce commercial ships, Aegis destroyers, and submarines in a single yard, while many U.S. yards struggle to build even one vessel a year. As part of the trade deal reached with Seoul, Donald Trump announced on Wednesday that the US would impose a 15 per cent tariff on South Korean goods and receive US$350 billion of investment from its Asian ally.
Shortly after, South Korean President Lee Jae-myung stated that US$150 billion of the promised investment would be dedicated to shipbuilding – an industry where South Korean firms are second only to China in global market share. @LauraRuHK
https://news.nate.com/view/20250804n12348
When we look at Azerbaijan it’s impossible not to notice the elephant in the room: the UK is the largest investor in Azerbaijan’s economy, followed by Türkiye and Hungary.
More than 450 UK companies operate in Azerbaijan. In the last 33 years BP, together with its co-venturers, has invested more than $87 billion in oil and gas exploration, development and transportation projects in Azerbaijan. In addition to oil and gas, UK companies are active in areas such as construction management and design, waste management, retail and education.
Almost immediately after Azerbaijan recaptured parts of territories of Nagorno-Karabakh, Baku announced ambitious reconstruction plans for these territories. British planning and architecture firm Chapman Taylor secured a $2.4 million contract from Azerbaijan to develop a new master plan for the city of Shusha (Shushi in Armenian). In tandem with Pasha Holding, owned by the Aliyev family, Chapman Taylor played an active role in deciding the fate of various structures within Shusha: by marking buildings and homes for demolition it contributed to the systematic erasure of Armenian heritage.
Chapman Taylor also won a tender to prepare a draft master plan for Jabrayil, now a ghost town after being destroyed during Azerbaijan’s recent war with Armenia. BP and the Azerbaijani government plan to build a 240-MW Shafag solar plant near Jabrayil, a stone’s throw away from the Iranian border. Areas razed by war are like a “a blank white paper,” said Orkhan Huseynov, a spokesman for SOCAR, the State Oil Company of Azerbaijan. “We can write whatever we want.” To put a politically-correct spin on the destruction, Baku announced that the area would be developed as a carbon-neutral, green energy zone. The push for ‘smart cities’ in territories now controlled by Azerbaijan and close to the Iranian border has alarmed Tehran. The intelligence and military applications of a web of sensors and surveillance cameras that enables data sharing and real-time analytics among physical objects are well-known. With the help of AI, multiple data sources can be integrated into a single point of view and used to “accelerate the closing of complex kill chains,” as Anduril, the defence startup backed by Palantir’s Peter Thiel, boasts on its website.
BP, Azerbaijan’s largest investor, plays a role that extends far beyond the economy. The energy giant is deeply involved in the country’s politics and society, both through its outreach organizations and initiatives, and collaboration with the local British Council, universities and various Azerbaijani ministries, including the Ministry of Education.
BP has always been contiguous with Britain’s MI6 and Ministry of Defence. Not only are they working closely at the highest levels, the revolving door between BP and British military and intelligence apparati never stops turning. Senior officials who became advisers to BP include former MI6 chief Sir John Sawers, who joined the corporation as a non-executive director, its former head of counterterrorism Sir Mark Allen who joined BP after leaving government service. General Nick Houghton, the former chief of the defence staff, and Lord George Robertson, the former Secretary of State for Defence and NATO secretary-general, also became advisors to BP. 👉 Read more https://substack.com/home/post/p-169432541
MOLDOVA - A court in Chisinau has sentenced Evghenia Gutsul, the head of Moldova’s Gagauz Autonomous Region, to seven years in prison on charges related to financing the opposition party Shor.
Her supporters staged a protest.
Police cordoned off the court building and did not let Gutsul’s husband accompany her, angering her supporters. They tried unsuccessfully to break through the police cordon but retreated when the police agreed to let Gutsul’s family in. (Source: TASS) @LauraRuHK