Page 12 - RusRPTOct23

Renewable energy sources demonstrated growth in the first half of 2023. Solar power production increased by 13% compared to the same period in 2022. Wind energy generation experienced a 5% rise, while hydropower saw an 11% increase after a previous year marked by drought-related limitations. On the other hand, nuclear generation encountered a 4% decline, but it is anticipated to rebound as the year progresses.
Furthermore, the study underscores several EU countries achieving record-breaking proportions of their power generated from renewables. Greece and Romania surpassed the 50% mark for the first time, and Denmark and Portugal exceeded an impressive 75% share of their power originating from renewable sources. This trend signifies a significant stride towards a more sustainable energy landscape within the EU.
2.4 Wagner in Africa will come under the Russian Defence Ministry control
The network of Wagner PMCs abroad, primarily in Africa, will come under the direct control of the Ministry of Defence, writes Bloomberg, although a third structure associated with the Russian ministry may formally become an intermediary between the Russian and African military departments. As a result, Russia's military presence in Africa after Prigozhin's death may not only not decrease, but even expand.
A source in the Kremlin, two sources close to the Ministry of Defence, and two employees of the PMC told Bloomberg about the alleged fate of the Wagner PMC network in Asia and Syria. The military structures of Wagner will be transferred to the direct subordination of the Ministry of Defence, agency sources say. Two of them cite as an example Prigozhin's network in the Central African Republic, the country where Wagner is most firmly established.
All PMC operations in the CAR will go to an "armed contractor associated with the Ministry of Defence," Bloomberg sources say. It is not completely clear which contractor is in question - but it follows from the article that it will be a company officially associated with the Ministry of Defence. Theoretically, there are also private military companies subordinate to the ministry - one of the largest Russian PMCs Redut is usually mentioned in this capacity, the Russian service of the BBC wrote that PMCs financed by Gazprom are subordinate to the Ministry of Defence. However, for use in Africa, you can create a separate company.
PMC Wagner had agreements on military cooperation with the governments of at least four African countries - the Central African Republic, Sudan, Libya and Mali. Wagner also worked in Syria and used the Russian base in Syria Khmeimim as a transit point to Africa. In all these countries, for their services, Prigozhin's companies received the right to develop raw materials deposits. On the eve of Prigozhin's death, Libya and Syria were visited by a delegation of the Russian Defence Ministry headed by Deputy Minister Yunus-Bek Yevkurov, whom Prigozhin publicly humiliated during the rebellion. According to journalist Andrey Zakharov, who wrote extensively about Prigozhin, at the direction of
12 RUSSIA Country Report October 2023 www.intellinews.com