20:13
22.5.2014
ITAR-TASS reports this about the ongoing pressure that Russian authorities are applying to payment giants Visa and MasterCard, both of which blocked transactions at Russian banks with ties to individuals sanctioned by the United States over Russia's annexation of Crimea and other actions in Ukraine. Russian officials are working on legislation to slap both companies with huge new fees or deposits:
Russian Central Bank head Elvira Nabiullina has held meetings with representatives of international payment systems Visa and MasterCard at the currently ongoing St. Petersburg International Economic Forum 2014, the Central Bank reported Thursday.
The terms and prospects of running and developing the business of international payments systems in Russia were discussed at the meetings, the bank said. No details of the talks were immediately available.
The terms and prospects of running and developing the business of international payments systems in Russia were discussed at the meetings, the bank said. No details of the talks were immediately available.
20:05
22.5.2014
20:02
22.5.2014
How serious are the splits in the separatist ranks in Slovyansk? UNN reports that Ihor Girkin, who leads pro-Russian actions in Slovyansk, has ordered the detention of Vyacheslav Ponomaryov, the self-styled "mayor" of Slovyansk who has claimed to command around 2,500 fighters.
19:52
22.5.2014
Video from a distance of this morning's fighting in Volnovakha, in Donetsk region, where Ukrainian security forces suffered their single deadliest attack, on a checkpoint. The sound of gunfire and plumes of smoke, then a military helicopter makes a number of passes over the scene.
18:48
22.5.2014
'The BBC's Olga Ivshina found 27 wounded survivors at the central hospital in Volnovakha' http://t.co/0edz7jhMRO
— Olaf Koens (@obk) May 22, 2014
18:47
22.5.2014
The People's Republic of Lugansk said to name a minister of culture, and your eyes won't be able to unsee her glory. http://t.co/RhSMJWavOE
— Julia Ioffe (@juliaioffe) May 22, 2014
17:56
22.5.2014
I didn't know the Donetsk People's Republic had a national anthem, but it does: https://t.co/wsVcynDCvy
— max seddon (@maxseddon) May 22, 2014
17:30
22.5.2014
Yellow fields under a blue sky. The town of Volnovakha where bodies of Ukrainian soldiers killed today were taken pic.twitter.com/gyqoxpFIJl
— Kevin Bishop (@bishopk) May 22, 2014
17:22
22.5.2014
The BBC is reporting that Russia's diplomatic corps will be having words with the United Kingdom over Prince Charles' remarks comparing Putin to Hitler, which were reported yesterday:
Read more here
A spokesman for the Russian embassy in London said: "The minister-counsellor of the Embassy, Mr Alexander Kramarenko, will meet this afternoon the representatives of the FCO [Foreign and Commonwealth Office] to discuss a range of bilateral issues.
"The outrageous remarks made by Prince Charles in Canada will be among the questions raised. The embassy asked the FCO for official clarifications on that yesterday."
"The outrageous remarks made by Prince Charles in Canada will be among the questions raised. The embassy asked the FCO for official clarifications on that yesterday."
Read more here
16:54
22.5.2014
MEPs go to Ukraine to observe presidential elections 22 May 2014, Brussels-Kyiv. Today a delegation of 7... http://t.co/sKJBg2fmhF
— EU Delegation UA (@EUDelegationUA) May 22, 2014