September 10:
Russia is facing new sanctions for its conduct in Ukraine - this time from Kyiv. The Moscow Times reports that Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko has signed a new law that would allow Russian individuals and companies to be targeted for their role in "financing terrorism." A list of some 172 individuals and 65 companies has reportedly already been prepared by the Ukrainian government.
September 11:
In yet another sign of frayed Russo-American relations, the Associated Press reports that a joint air force exercise between the two countries and Canada has been cancelled. The trilateral drill, dubbed "Vigilant Eagle" and involving fighter aircraft simulating coordination in response to civilian emergencies, has been a staple of bilateral relations since 2007. But the exercise was tabled in response to ongoing tensions over Ukraine, a spokesman for the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) has confirmed.
September 12:
Is Europe backing away from tighter economic ties to Ukraine? The Agence France-Presse reports EU Trade Commissioner Karel de Gucht as confirming that implementation of a planned free trade deal between Europe and Ukraine will be delayed until the end of 2015. The move is being billed as an effort to "fully support the stabilisation of Ukraine," in de Gucht's words. However, it appears to have more than a little bit to do with Russian pressure, which has voiced its "concerns" about Kyiv's burgeoning trade partnership with Brussels.
September 13:
The United States and Europe have imposed a new round of sanctions on Russia, RIA Novosti reports. The U.S. measures, announced by the Treasury Department on September 12th, include additional sanctions against Russian firms and an expanded list of sanctioned entities within the Russian Federation (including SberBank, Russia's largest bank). The corresponding European measures "prohibit three major Russian oil companies (Rosneft, Transneft, Gazprom Neft) and three major defense companies (Oboronprom, United Aircraft Corporation and Uralvagonzavod) from seeking financing on European capital markets," according to the news agency.
Poland’s government is accusing the Kremlin of reducing supplies of natural gas to the Eastern European state.Trade newsletter Natural Gas Europe reports Poland's Deputy Prime Minister, Janusz Piechocinski, as saying that Russian gas deliveries have been reduced by nearly half in recent weeks in what Piechocinski terms an effort by Moscow to "test Poland's reaction" amid the ongoing crisis in Ukraine.
September 15:
Amid growing financial pressure on Russia's economy from Western sanctions, the Kremlin is tightening its fiscal belt. RIA Novosti reports that Russia's Finance Ministry is eyeing the institution of a "moratorium" on government paybacks of parts of state pensions as a cost-saving measure. These funds - which Russian officials estimate will total 309 billion rubles ($8.2 billion) in 2015 - will instead go toward expanding the country's "anti-crisis" reserves to allow it to better withstand current economic tensions.
Russia is showcasing its military capabilities in the Far East. According to RIA Novosti, a number of long-range bomber aircraft have been deployed to tactical airfields of the Eastern Military District as part of snap combat drills on the Kuril Islands and Sakhalin.
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