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

President of the European Parliament Roberta Metsola has announced that on February 11, MEPs plan to vote on granting Ukraine a EUR 90 billion loan to finance military spending.

The European Union is considering modernizing two military training centers in the West of Ukraine as part of its contribution to security guarantees within the peace process.

The Netherlands has announced an additional contribution of EUR 35 million to the Ukraine Energy Support Fund, bringing the total amount to EUR 100 million. EUR 35 million of the new contribution from Dutch partners will be used to install solar power systems on building roofs through the Ray of Hope initiative.

The government of Sweden has announced an increase in aid to Ukraine for 2026-2027, including a new SEK 80.5 million ($8.9 million) support package in the areas of health care and social policy.

The Vatican has donated to Ukraine 80 electric generators, as well as thousands of packages of medicines, including antibiotics, anti-inflammatory medicines, supplements, and melatonin. The Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development has said that preparations are underway to send another truck with thousands of packages of antibiotics, anti-inflammatory medications, antihypertensive medicines, and various food products.

Over the past few weeks, Kyiv region has received 509 generators with a total capacity of over 5.3 MW. The aid was provided by Poland, Lithuania, the Czech Republic, the UNHCR, the Red Cross Society in Ukraine and in Kyiv region, humanitarian organizations, and charitable foundations.

In Slovakia, in less than two weeks, people raised EUR 1 million to support Ukraine as part of the Teplo pre Ukrajinu (Warmth for Ukraine) campaign.

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The European Union is considering expanding sanctions against russia to include ports in Georgia and Indonesia for trading russian oil.

The United States is investing up to $9 billion in the development of Armenia’s civil nuclear energy sector to help the country reduce its long-standing energy dependence on russia.

The government of Lithuania has announced the need to implement a series of infrastructure measures to improve security on transit trains running to kaliningrad, russia, through Lithuania’s territory.

Problems with oil sales due to a reduction in purchases by India led to a decline in russia’s production in January for the second month in a row, having amounted to 9.28 million barrels per day. This is almost by 300,000 barrels per day less than russia’s quota under OPEC+. The average daily reduction in production in January was 46,000 barrels.

At the beginning of 2026, russia approached a number of European Union countries in terms of food prices, and in some cases has already surpassed Europe. In ten European countries – Romania, Poland, the Czech Republic, Portugal, Lithuania, Hungary, Bulgaria, Croatia, Latvia, and Spain – most basic goods cost the same as in russia or less.

“russia cannot get rid of Western technologies, despite all of putin’s calls to do so and (his) statements that this has already been done. The country remains critically dependent on imports in areas that are key to the war, including engineering, drone manufacturing, and energy,” reads the assessment by the ministry of economic development of the rf. Efforts to expand exports of non-energy goods are also failing to produce the desired results, the document notes.

Since the beginning of the year, in at least four regions of the rf – samara, rostov, chelyabinsk, and Orenburg regions  – there has been a sharp increase in the amount of fees under the patent taxation system, which is used by half of all individual entrepreneurs. The authorities have increased the cost of patents in those regions up to 12 times amid a huge total deficit in regional budgets.

At the end of 2025, coal transshipment rates in russia fell by more than 40% to $10 per ton, and the current year has not yet brought any market recovery.

russian authorities intend to increase the service life of river and sea vessels from 40 to 50 years. To this end, the ministry of transport has made appropriate amendments to the draft law prohibiting the operation of old vessels from 2030. One of the reasons for this decision was halving the state funding for the preferential leasing program for civil vessels for 2026–2028. As a result, the number of ships planned to be built under this program has decreased from 260 to 219. Most of the ships already laid down by shipyards will not be delivered to customers by 2030. To replace the old fleet, 1,714 ships need to be upgraded in the next four years. At the same time, in 2025, russian shipyards delivered 129 ships to customers, compared to 131 in 2024.

Shopping became significantly more expensive for many russians in early 2026. The price increase affected not only food, but also transportation, utilities, delivery, taxis, and fuel. Experts point out that, with the exception of socially significant goods, which are subject to separate state control, prices are unlikely to fall. Even if inflation slows down, this will more likely mean slower growth rather than a real reduction in food prices.

Prices for greenhouse cucumbers in russian shops are rising several times faster than inflation, bank deposits, and investments in the stock market. Since the beginning of winter, the cost of vegetables has increased by more than 40%. In fact, a kilogram of cucumbers has become equal in cost to a kilogram of meat.

In 2025, bailiffs of the rf initiated almost 20 million enforcement proceedings worth 1.9 billion rubles against individuals who owed money on loans. This is the highest figure since at least 2012.

Since the beginning of 2025, about 5,000 post persons, operators, and branch managers have resigned from “russia’s post”. The company is facing a staff shortage and is forced to delay deliveries and close branches because there is no one to work in them. The reason for the mass resignations is low salaries and a growing list of responsibilities for staff and managers.

The ministry of construction of the rf wants to introduce a surcharge for relocation from emergency housing if the new apartment is more expensive than the old one. Such a draft law is being prepared for consideration in the state duma. Owners of square meters in emergency housing often wait decades for relocation, promised back in soviet times. They simply cannot afford to “buy” square meters in newer buildings, which will be significantly more expensive than their old properties. Today, more than 1.3 million people in russia live in dilapidated buildings and are waiting to be resettled. In fact, there are even more, since not all residents have the opportunity to order an expert assessment of the technical condition of the building at their own expense.

russia will begin checking films without distribution certificates for discrediting “traditional” values. Checks will be carried out from March 1 after receiving denouncements, including anonymous ones.

The volume of logistics parks introduced in moscow and moscow region by the end of 2027 may decrease by 38% compared to 2026, which will be the lowest figure in five years. The reduction is associated with a serious decline in development activity.

Every third muscovite (31%) visits only the shops that regularly hold promotions and offer discounts, and browses catalogs with special offers before visiting them. At this, three-quarters of city residents (74%) have started saving money when visiting shopping centers over the past year, and only one in five respondents (18%) have not changed their spending at shopping centers. Among the reasons for saving, respondents point out the rapid rise in prices, which outpaces wage indexation (55%).

In 2025, “pulkovo” airport (st. petersburg) carried by 100,000 fewer passengers than in 2024. And this –  despite the fact that seven new flight destinations appeared during the year.

The altai republic parliament has supported a federal draft law on creation of a gambling zone in the region. Local “united russia” mp konstantin krivoruchenko has urged people not to worry about the negative impact of casinos on local residents, as they have no money.

tatarstan plans to extend payments to pregnant minors aged 14 and older who are enrolled in full-time education. The payment amounts to 100,000 rubles.

Transparency International has published its annual Corruption Perceptions Index. russia scored 22 points, repeating its worst result in history. Chad, Honduras, and Zimbabwe scored the same number of points in 2025, sharing 157th place with the rf.

In belarus, the corruption situation has been deteriorating for the fifth consecutive year. At the end of 2025, belarus scored 31 points and shared 124th place with Djibouti, Mongolia, Niger, and Uzbekistan.

Compared to January 2025, prices in belarus rose by 6.4% over the year, including food products, which rose by 8.6%.

MAZ is facing a serious staff shortage. The company is short of 397 employees to meet its production plan for the first quarter of 2026. Most of the specialists are mechanical assembly fitters, a key category for assembly production.

From February 11, men of draft age in belarus will need a certificate from the military commissariat to obtain a driver’s license.

In 2024, belarus saw a historically low number of births – only 58,900. This is half the number born in 2016. There are 1.08 births per woman in belarus. In Northern European countries, this figure is significantly higher: 1.59 – in Iceland, 1.5 – in Denmark, and 1.45 – in Sweden.