A Busy Weekend for Russia

On Saturday, Russian President Vladimir Putin was invited to the wedding of Austrian Foreign Minister Karin Kneissl. He attended the ceremony, gave her a present and danced with her. The Austrian Foreign Minister has been strongly criticized for having invited him. The Greens even called her to resign.

After that, Russian President and German Chancellor Angela Merkel met not far from Berlin. They discussed the conflicts in Ukraine and Syria, and the Nord Stream 2 pipeline project. The meeting ended with no agreement, epitomizing the fact that both countries' relations are tough since the Russian annexation of Crimea disregarding international law in 2014.

Merkel noted that “Germany, but especially Russia, as a member of the UN security council, has a responsibility to find solutions”. The pipeline project opposed by the USA remains controversial, in particular because it will directly go to the Baltic Sea, bypassing Ukraine.

Russia tackled some fraud issues on August 19, "Energia's deputy director, Aleksei Beloborodov, and two of his subordinates were arrested and charged with attempted fraud," the Investigative Committee of Russia said. Beloborodov is suspected of accepting bribes. Energia is a Russian corporation working with the army by designing and producing the satellite Soyuz and also ballistic missiles.

Further south in Dagestan, Magomed Suleimanov, head of the state insurance fund was also arrested. He is accused of having embezzled 210 million Rubles ($3.1 million) over eight years.

By Antoine Dewaest

Photo: Reuters/ A Shmidt