Page 35 - RusRPTSept23

2.12 Politics - misc
● International Politics
US sanctions 4 Russian oligarchs associated with Alfa Group finance conglomerate. The U.S. Treasury Department sanctioned on Aug. 11 four key figures associated with the Russian financial conglomerate Alfa Group, namely Mikhail Fridman, Petr Aven, German Khan, and Alexey Kuzmichev.
New Swiss sanctions against Russia come into effect. The Swiss government implemented a new set of sanctions against Russia on Aug. 16. The measures align with the European Union's 11th package of sanctions from June 23.
Czech Republic sanctions Russian weapons oligarch, family members who reside in Prague. The Czech Republic announced on Aug. 16 that it had sanctioned Russian oligarch Boris Obnosov, the head of one of Russia's key missile manufacturers, as well as his daughter and son-in-law, who live in Prague.
UK court rejects Russian businessman's suit to overturn sanctions. Eugene Shvidler, a partner of Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich, has lost a lawsuit at London's High Court to overturn British sanctions imposed due to Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Reuters reported on August 18.
Satellite images show Wagner camp in Belarus being dismantled. A camp for Wagner Group fighters in Belarus' village of Tsel near Asipovichy is being actively dismantled, as shown in satellite images from Planet Labs exclusively obtained by Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty's Belarusian service.
Pope criticized for telling young Russians to uphold legacy of tsars. Pope Francis has been criticized for telling young Russian Catholics to uphold their heritage as "heirs of great Russia" and invoking the legacy of tsars Peter I and Catherine II.
● Domestic Politics
Russia's Luna-25 spacecraft loses control, crashes into moon. The Russian Luna-25 spacecraft that was supposed to be the first to land on the lunar south pole has crashed into the moon, Russia's state space agency Roskosmos said on Aug. 20.
A new investigation published by the independent outlet The Insider examined a series of poisoning attacks targeting Russian journalists and activists in Europe. In October 2022, Elena Kostyuchenko, a journalist for
RUSSIA Country Report September 2023 www.intellinews.com