Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov Explains ‘Multipolar’ World View in Brazil

Sergey Lavrov, the Russian foreign minister, started his tour of Latin America on April 17, landing first in Brasilia to hold high-level talks with Brazilian President Luiz Inacio ‘Lula’ da Silva and Brazilian Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira. Lavrov insisted that Russia was building a “multipolar” world, while Vieira rejected the unilateral sanctions enacted against Russia. … Read more

Saudi Arabia Strengthens Bond With China by Joining SCO Bloc as Dialogue Partner

China’s relationship with Saudi Arabia is growing as the country’s Cabinet has agreed to join the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO). The diplomatic move made by the kingdom began with a memorandum of understanding in September, and at the end of March, Saudi Arabia’s Cabinet approved the decision to become a dialogue partner. The Cabinet’s decision … Read more

Nexo Bitcoin Withdrawals Surge Following Raid of Bulgarian Offices

After the offices of crypto lender Nexo were raided in Bulgaria, the digital currency lending platform experienced a significant amount of withdrawals starting Jan. 12, 2023. An archived snapshot of Nexo’s real-time attestation shows that the company held 133,263 bitcoin on that day. As of Jan. 13, 2023, Nexo’s attestation indicates that the company now … Read more

Crypto Lender Nexo Under Investigation for Alleged Money Laundering, Russian Sanction Violations in Bulgaria

According to several reports, Bulgarian law enforcement officials are investigating crypto lender Nexo for alleged money laundering and sanctions violations. Siika Mileva, a spokesperson for Bulgaria’s attorney general, said the probe into Nexo is a large-scale operation involving 300 investigators from various agencies, including the National Security Service, Gendarmerie, and Sofia Police. Bulgarian Law Enforcement … Read more

Russia’s GDP Decline Less Severe Than Expected, Wall Street Returns to Russian Bonds, Putin Criticizes US ‘Hegemony’

While the ongoing war in Ukraine continues, the Ministry of Economic Development of the Russian Federation detailed this week that Russia’s economic hardships are less severe than expected. Russia’s economic ministry says that the economy’s gross domestic product (GDP) is estimated to drop by 4.2% this year and Russia’s inflation won’t be as elevated as … Read more

US Withdraws Request to Extradite BTC-e’s Vinnik From France, Lawyer Sees ‘Deceitful Maneuver’

U.S. authorities have withdrawn their request to extradite the alleged operator of crypto exchange BTC-e Alexander Vinnik from France, his French lawyer informed Russian media. Vinnik’s defense suspects, however, that the move is intended to actually speed up his extradition through Greece. Lawyer Says Washington Wants Vinnik to Remain in Prison The United States withdrew … Read more

Report: Compass to Sell $30 Million in Crypto Mining Equipment Located in Russia

The U.S.-based company Compass Mining plans to sell $30 million worth of bitcoin mining equipment that’s currently located in Siberia. The decision to sell the mining rigs follows the U.S. government sanctioning the bitcoin mining operation Bitriver and ten subsidiaries. Compass is hoping to offload 12 megawatts of capacity, according to a company executive. Compass … Read more

Alleged Hydra Administrator Dmitry Pavlov Reportedly Arrested In Russia

A district court in Moscow has arrested a man whom local media reports identify as Dmitry Pavlov, alleged administrator of the recently shut down darknet market Hydra. Russian authorities believe he has been involved in drug-related crime punishable by up to 20 years in prison. Moscow Court Arrests Russian Believed to Be Hydra Administrator Meshchansky … Read more

Coinbase Blacklists Over 25,000 Crypto Addresses Tied to Russian Individuals and Entities

The cryptocurrency exchange Coinbase has addressed the company’s procedures toward complying with sanctions in a blog post published on Sunday. The crypto firm says that respecting sanctions plays a “vital role in promoting national security” and the acts can help deter “unlawful aggression.” Coinbase Intends to Comply With International Sanctions, Chief Legal Officer Says ‘Digital … Read more